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Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Sunday described President-elect Donald Trump’s threat to jail members of the House Jan. 6 committee as an “outrageous statement,” adding that President Joe Biden said that a preemptive pardon for the committee members should be considered.
“This is the essence of authoritarianism. This is the essence of authoritarianism,” Sanders said.
On NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” Biden was asked whether he should consider preemptive pardons for the committee members, seven House Democrats and two House Republicans, who were then members of Congress. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.). — Sanders said, “Well, I think he might want to consider that very seriously.”
President Trump said on “Meet the Press” last week that members of the commission tasked with investigating the Jan. 6 attack “should go to jail.”
He also said he would seek pardons for supporters convicted of the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, saying they had been “there for years, living in filthy, disgusting conditions.” ” he said. It’s a place where you’re not even allowed to open.”
More than 1,500 defendants have been charged in connection with the January 6 acts, and more than 1,200 have been convicted or pleaded guilty.
A spokesperson for Trump’s transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sanders’ remarks.
Not all Republicans agree with Trump’s plan.
In an interview with “Meet the Press” host Kristen Welker on Sunday, President Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham (R.S.C.) said he agrees that committee members should go to prison. When asked if this was the case, he clearly answered “no.”
In response to Trump’s comments, committee members including Democrats Adam Schiff (California) and committee chairman Bennie Thompson (Mississippi) slammed Trump.
Thompson told reporters at the Capitol that committee members had done nothing “in violation of the law.”
“We feel good about the fact that we were doing our job as legislators, and as long as we’re doing our job, we have certain guarantees and we look forward to enforcing those guarantees. ” he said.
Schiff, who has since become a senator, said Trump’s comments were “not the kind of thing you should hear from the president of a democracy.”
The senator also reiterated his opposition to preemptive pardons in a Sunday interview with ABC’s “This Week,” adding that he is voicing his opinions “to the administration both publicly and privately.”
“Donald Trump’s suggestion that members of Congress who later investigated his illegal and unconstitutional conduct should be jailed is a continuation of his attack on the rule of law and the foundations of our country,” Cheney said in a statement. said.
Ryan J. Reilly, Syedah Asghar, and Megan Lebowitz contributed.
This article first appeared on NBCNews.com. Read more from NBC News here:
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