Democratic rep pushes Biden to issue blanket pardon to those Patel could target

(The Hill) - Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.) released a statement on Wednesday urging President Biden to issue blanket pardons to individuals who may be targeted under President-elect Trump’s FBI Director appointee Kash Patel. 

“By choosing Kash Patel as his FBI Director, Trump has made it clear that he is more focused on settling personal scores than on protecting the American people or upholding the rule of law,” Boyle wrote, adding that this was “no hypothetical threat.”

He noted that law enforcement officers, military personnel and others are at risk of extreme legal battles.

“These patriots shouldn’t have to live in fear of political retribution for doing what’s right,” Boyle stated. “That’s why I’m urging President Biden to issue a blanket pardon for anyone unjustly targeted by this vindictive scheme.”

Patel has plans to fire some of the top-ranking officials at the Justice Department and demote employees who investigated Trump during his first presidential race in 2016. 

Lawmakers had a mixed response to Trump’s decision to appoint an individual who has never led an FBI field office with some saying the move would only “disrupt,” “dismantle” and “distract” the agency.

“If we’re serious about stopping Trump’s authoritarian ambitions, we need to act decisively and use every tool at our disposal,” the Pennsylvania representative wrote. “Norms and traditions alone won’t stop him—Trump has shown time and again that he’s willing to ignore them to consolidate power and punish his opponents.”

After President Biden announced that he’d pardon his son, Hunter, on Sunday, many have called on the Democrat to spend his last month in office granting clemency or blanket pardons to other deserving individuals.

“The time for cautious restraint is over,” the lawmaker concluded. “We must act with urgency to push back against these threats and prevent Trump from abusing his power.”