Trump on Biden pardons: Ex-Rep. Adam Kinzinger, Jan. 6 committee member, fires back at claim that some pardons are invalid
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CHICAGO (WLS) — President Donald Trump’s claim that some pardons granted by former President Joe Biden are invalid have prompted a “bring it on” challenge by a former Illinois Congressman.

Adam Kinzinger fired back at the president on social media on Monday.

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Kinzinger has been a frequent critic of Trump, who, on numerous occasions, has blasted Kinzinger for his role as a member of the House select committee that investigated the Capital riot.

“I just saw that Trump is, like, threatening the January 6 committee again,” Kinzinger said in a video on X. “He’s more obsessed with like me and Liz Cheney than his freaking golf score. Hey, Trump, bring it on, dude.”

Kinzinger and Cheney were the two Republicans who served on the House select committee that investigated the January 6, 2021 uprising at the Capitol. Before leaving the White House, Biden preemptively pardoned all the members of the committee.

SEE ALSO | Cheney, Schiff push back after Trump says Jan. 6 committee members should be jailed

Trump attacked those pardons on social media, declaring them “VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen.”

“The president, under Article Two, Section Two of the Constitution, has the plenary power to pardon. What does that mean? Nobody can restrict it, regulate it, take it away,” said Chicago Kent College of Law Constitutional Law Prof Emeritus Doug Godfrey.

“The whole subject of auto pen, did he know what he was doing, did he authorize it?” Trump said in a video on Truth Social. “But to sign pardons and all of the things that he signed with an auto pen is disgraceful.”

The president insinuated, without any facts, that Biden may not have been mentally competent to sign the committee pardons and suggested they were invalid because of that.

READ MORE | Illinois Congressman recalls Jan. 6 attack 4 years later as local defendants seek pardons from Trump

“And this idea that he says because it was signed by auto pen, it’s not valid, ridiculous. The Constitution says the president shall grant pardons. It doesn’t say sign them. It doesn’t say endorse them,” Godfrey said.

Kinzinger doubled down on his pardon poke at the president.

“But bring it man. Like, stop with all the big mouth, talking stuff. You’re a grown man; you don’t talk like one, but you’re a grown man. Come on, dude. Bring it,” Kinzinger said,

In another written post, Kinzinger called Trump’s comments threatening the pardons a desperate but ultimately meaningless bluff.

There is no sign of any response on social media from the president.

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