Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) told CNN on Thursday that he would accept a preemptive pardon from President Joe Biden to protect members of the January 6 House Select Committee from potential political retribution.
Thompson, who chaired the eight-member Democrat-influenced committee investigating President-elect Donald Trump’s role in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots, insisted that neither he nor the other committee members had done anything improper.
In light of Trump’s recent remarks suggesting that committee members belong behind bars, CNN’s Jim Acosta asked Thompson if he would accept a pardon.
“Trump is saying you should go to jail,” Acosta said. “Are you worried about him or the FBI coming after you?”
“Well, you know, we are members of Congress. We operate based on our direction from Congress. There are specific laws that give security to members of Congress. I hope the president would take that into consideration. But to be honest with you, Jim, we’ve not done anything wrong,” he claimed.
Acosta indicated that the Biden administration was discussing potentially issuing broad pardons for individuals that Trump might seek to target, though the president-elect has repeatedly said he’s not interested in doing that.
“Apparently, the White House is discussing preemptive pardons for people who may be targeted by Trump when he gets back in office,” Acosta said. “Do you want the president to offer some kind of pardon to you?”
“The president, it’s his prerogative. If he offers it, to me or other members of the committee, I think it – I would accept it, but it’s his choice,” the Mississippi Democrat responded.
“I think the staff of the committee who did a wonderful job; I think the witnesses who were primarily Republicans did a great job under oath. They or we were not found to have perjured themselves or anything like that. There is nothing on the record that is not on point,” he said.
Thompson added: “We’ve had two years of review by Republican chairpersons, and they found nothing wrong.”
WATCH:
J6 Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson: Of course I’d accept a preemptive pardon if Joe Biden offered it. pic.twitter.com/c26j8Q512h
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) December 12, 2024
President-elect Donald Trump, meanwhile, has signaled plans to issue mass pardons for individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot and vowed to restructure the “Democrat-controlled” Department of Justice.
Trump made these remarks just over an hour after President Biden pardoned his son, Hunter, earlier this month.
“Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years? Such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice!” Trump posted on Truth Social.
The president-elect is correct in his statement. Several people arrested on various charges nearly four years ago are being held without bond and still do not have court dates, which appears to be an obvious violation of the Sixth Amendment’s right to a speedy trial, among other guarantees.
Trump, who regained the White House last month, announced plans to pardon more than 1,500 individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot—covering both those awaiting trial and those already convicted—during his campaign. This declaration came while Congress was in the midst of certifying President Biden’s victory in the 2020 election over Trump.
Earlier, Trump’s transition team released a statement that criticized the Justice Department and pledged to reform the federal agency, though the statement did not mention Biden or his son.
“The failed witch hunts against President Trump have proven that the Democrat-controlled DOJ and other radical prosecutors are guilty of weaponizing the justice system,” Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said. “That system of justice must be fixed and due process must be restored for all Americans, which is exactly what President Trump will do as he returns to the White House with an overwhelming mandate from the American people.”
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