By Illinois Review
Early on Monday, on his final day in office, President Joe Biden issued a pre-emptive pardon to former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci – in a bid to shield him from possible charges stemming from future investigations related to his actions during the pandemic.
In addition to pardoning Fauci, the outgoing and embattled president also issued pre-emptive pardons to Gen. Mark Milley and January 6 committee members, including former U.S. Representatives Liz Cheney, Adam Schiff and Adam Kinzinger. In a statement released by the White House, Biden said,
“The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense. Our nation owes these public servants a debt of gratitude for their tireless commitment to our country.”
Last month, the U.S. House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic released its final report after a 2-year investigation that confirmed what many Americans have been saying along – the vaccine did not stop the spread or transmission of the disease, mask mandates were implemented without any scientific data – and lockdowns – especially school closures – caused “immeasurable harm” to children and adults.
The report also found that many decisions by government officials that included social distancing guidelines were not based on science – as former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci testified that the guidance “sort of just appeared.” Widespread abuse of power by government officials, including Fauci was also identified in the findings. Officials also purposely ignored the effectiveness of natural immunity.
Regarding school closures specifically, the report stated, “The ‘science’ never justified prolonged school closures. Children were unlikely to contribute to the spread of COVID-19 or suffer severe illness or mortality. Instead, as a result of school closures, children experienced historic learning loss, higher rates of psychological distress, and decreased physical well-being.” And suicide attempts among girls ages 12-17 “skyrocketed” to 51 percent.
Fauci remains a controversial figure and is blamed for implementing mandates and guidelines that were not based on scientific evidence, while at the same time abusing his power during the pandemic. In 2020 – the year of the pandemic, Dr. Fauci and his wife, who also earned a federal government salary, earned over $868,000 in income and compensation – making him the highest paid official in the federal government.
Fauci also left taxpayers with a $15 million security tab as he enjoyed retirement over the last two years as he was chauffeured around in a motorcade of SUVs and surrounded by a team of U.S. Marshalls around the clock. Fauci went on vacations, took walks with his wife and embarked on a national book tour – all while being trailed by a large contingent of taxpayer-funded security officers.
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