Thompson encouraged Americans to pay attention to how Trump is starting his second term after he issued 1,500 pardons to Jan. 6 rioters.

Joe Biden in some of his final acts as U.S. president on Monday pardoned Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired general Mark Milley, House committee members who investigated the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and members of his own family.

President Biden noted that the "should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing."

President Biden said the pardons are not an "acknowledgment that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing" but rather protect individuals from "unjustified and politically motivated prosectutions."

Joe Biden has issued preemptive pardons to Anthony Fauci, Mark Milley and more just hours before Donald Trump's inauguration.

In one last move, President Biden preemptively pardoned Dr. Anthony Fauci, General Mark A. Milley, and members of the House Jan. 6 committee.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WLBT) - Mississippi Congressman Bennie Thompson and former Congresswoman Liz Cheney are expressing their gratitude to outgoing President Joe Biden for issuing a pardon for their work on the January 6 Bipartisan Select Committee.

President Joe Biden on Monday pardoned Dr. Anthony Fauci ... It was led by U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and Republican Liz Cheney, who later pledged to vote for Democrat Kamala Harris ...

Speaker Mike Johnson said Wednesday that Congress will “look into” Joe Biden pardoning his family—but said Donald Trump’s clemency for Jan. 6 rioters was about “redemption.” The top House Republican also announced another select committee on January 6,

The preemptive pardons, described by Biden, aim to prevent the “baseless and politically motivated investigations” that could harm the reputations and finances of those targeted. He emphasized, “Even when individuals have done nothing wrong—and in fact have done the right thing—the mere fact of being investigated or prosecuted can irreparably damage reputations and finances.