In an exclusive interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has advised President Joe Biden to “very seriously” contemplate issuing preemptive pardons for members of the January 6 House Select Committee.
This suggestion comes in response to comments made by President-elect Donald J. Trump, who indicated that committee members should be imprisoned for their role in investigating the Capitol riots. Trump’s statement, aired on the same show the previous week, where he suggested that all nine members of the committee, including notable figures like Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), “should go to jail,” has sparked a significant outcry regarding the potential for political retribution by the incoming administration.
Sanders labeled Trump’s remarks as “an outrageous statement,” warning that such actions would be indicative of authoritarianism and dictatorship. He stressed, “You do not arrest elected officials who disagree with you, who undertake an investigation.”
President Biden has not yet publicly commented on Sanders’ suggestion.