Press Releases

Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), the Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement

“Donald Trump has abused the pardon power to reward his friends and political allies, and protect those who lie to cover up for him. This time, Trump has once again abused the pardon power to reward Michael Flynn, who chose loyalty to Trump over loyalty to his country.

“Flynn lied to the FBI about his communications with the Russians—efforts which undermined U.S. foreign policy after sanctions were imposed on Russia for interfering in our elections. And Flynn pled guilty to those lies, twice. A pardon by Trump does not erase that truth, no matter how Trump and his allies try to suggest otherwise.

“There is no doubt that a president has broad power to confer pardons, but when they are deployed to insulate himself, his family, and his associates from criminal investigation, it is a corruption of the Framer’s intent. That’s why Democrats in the House and the Senate have introduced the Protecting Our Democracy Act to prevent any president from using pardons, or the promise of pardons, in the corrupt way that Donald Trump has done. I’m hopeful that in a new Congress, we will pass it.

“It's no surprise that Trump would go out just as he came in – crooked to the end.”

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