Congressman Brendan Boyle Calls for President Biden to Issue Blanket Pardon for Those Targeted by Trump’s “Enemies List”

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Brendan F. Boyle issued the following statement in response to threats from Donald Trump and Kash Patel to weaponize the Department of Justice against individuals identified on their so-called “enemies list”:

“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. Patel has openly published an ‘enemies list’ in his book, naming individuals he and Trump plan to investigate and prosecute—targeting those who stood up to Trump’s lies, abuses of power, and baseless attempts to overturn the 2020 election. This is no hypothetical threat.

The people they’re targeting include law enforcement officers, military personnel, and others who have spent their lives protecting this country. These patriots shouldn’t have to live in fear of political retribution for doing what’s right. That’s why I’m urging President Biden to issue a blanket pardon for anyone unjustly targeted by this vindictive scheme.

If we’re serious about stopping Trump’s authoritarian ambitions, we need to act decisively and use every tool at our disposal. 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. The time for cautious restraint is over. We must act with urgency to push back against these threats and prevent Trump from abusing his power.”

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