WASHINGTON, DC – Today, after President Donald Trump granted another wave of pardons in his last hours in office, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) issued the following statement:

“And so ends a divisive, self-serving presidency.

“Donald Trump once again ignored Justice Department protocols and safeguards and instead wielded pardons to benefit himself, excuse injustice, and repay his unrepentant political cronies.  The Trump Administration appears to have handed out pardons and commutations in an unseemly manner, based not on the merits of the case, but on the wealth, celebrity, or personal and political connections of the recipients to Trump.  Meanwhile, ordinary people who abided by the Justice Department’s clemency rules were denied consideration.

“The Trump presidency has come to a close.  His legal and financial woes are now his problem, not America’s.  History will study, scrutinize, and judge Donald Trump and he can’t give himself a free pass there.

“As president, Donald Trump failed to focus on combating COVID-19.  In the midst of the COVID-19-storm, he essentially abandoned ship to focus on his own personal vendettas instead of the nation’s needs.  His erratic behavior and dereliction of duty plunged the country into a public health crisis, economic calamity, and civil unrest.

“It’s time for America to move forward with resilience and resolve.  We have new rational, experienced leadership that actually believes in science and reason and Constitutional principles, including checks and balances.  The Biden-Harris Administration is ready to take the helm and help right the ship of state.  We need all hands on deck.  Now is the time to live up to the promise of America and truly uphold those unalienable rights given to us not by the president, or the government, but by our Creator.

“Despite Donald Trump’s false ‘I alone can fix it’ canard, America has never been about one man.  It has always been about “We the People.”  By returning to our shared principles, upholding our core values, restoring civility, and repairing frayed alliances, we can make our nation safer and stronger.

“From a diverse collection of citizens, hamlets, towns, cities, and states, we are one unified nation: E pluribus unum, “out of many one.”  And it is time to demonstrate once more that when Americans work together for the common good, then our democracy, our communities, our people, and our nation thrive.”