The Washington Commanders released 2023 first-rounder Emmanuel Forbes on Saturday, cutting ties with another high draft pick from the previous regime. All of previous coach Ron Rivera's first-rounders — including edge rusher Chase Young in 2020, linebacker Jamin Davis in ‘21 and wide receiver Jahan Dotson in '22 — are now gone. Forbes never showed progress to the new staff led by coach Dan Quinn and was a healthy scratch twice this season and did not play in two other games during which the 23-year-old was in uniform. It's unclear if Forbes' release means anything about the status of cornerback Marshon Lattimore , the Commanders' trade deadline pickup in early November who still has not played for them because of a hamstring injury. Lattimore was listed as doubtful for Washington's home game Sunday against Tennessee. The Commanders (7-5) also put running back Austin Ekeler on injured reserve because of a concussion . They elevated kicker Zane Gonzalez and defensive tackle Carl Davis from the practice squad in preparation for facing the Titans (3-8). Washington has lost three in a row to fall from first place in the NFC East to the conference’s final wild-card spot. The most recent loss, last weekend against division rival Dallas, came when Austin Seibert missed his second extra point of the game, which would have tied it with 21 seconds left. Seibert went on IR earlier in the week with a groin injury that Quinn said the kicker reported Monday. While injuries have piled up as the Commanders await their late bye week, the choice of Forbes has been second-guessed since the moment Rivera's front office chose the 166-pound Mississippi State defensive back with the 16th pick over Christian Gonzalez and others. Gonzalez was selected next, by New England, and has started 16 games for the Patriots. Forbes was benched last season by Rivera, who was in charge when Washington selected Davis ahead of offensive lineman Christian Darrisaw in '21 and traded down to take Dotson the following year instead of safety Kyle Hamilton or receiver Chris Olave. Forbes has two interceptions and 12 passes defensed in 20 games. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Sydney MP’s bombshell election move

'There's an emu out there directing traffic' in TucsonTahj Brooks shines in final home game as Texas Tech routs West Virginia 52-15

Former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer couldn't hide his disbelief over the wild ending of the Ohio State Buckeyes-Michigan Wolverines rivalry game on Saturday. After the unranked Wolverines pulled off a stunning 13-10 upset of the No. 3 Buckeyes, chaos ensued as players got into a huge fight. The brawl started when Michigan players attempted to plant their flag at midfield, which Ohio State players tried to stop, leading to the altercation. Police had to get involved to put a stop to the massive fight, with several players and bystanders finding themselves soaked in pepper spray. During the intense brawl, Meyer couldn't help but express his disappointment with how things turned out. The ex-college football coach, who is now serving as an analyst for FOX Sports, said that it was a "shame" things had to turn to violence. "I've been involved in the game for 50 years and I can't remember seeing something like that... there's no room for that." "I've been involved in the game for 50 years and I can't remember seeing something like that," Meyer said while the broadcast showed the brawl. "That's a shame. I saw James Franklin pull his players off one time when they were getting ready to fight and I did that one time -- There's no room for that." "I've been involved in The Game for 50 years and I can't remember seeing something like that... there's no room for that." @CoachUrbanMeyer reacts to the postgame altercation between Michigan and Ohio State ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/8XqqRmBbNZ Sure enough, Urban Meyer's message didn't go unnoticed, with many agreeing with his take and several others giving their two cents on the matter. "The postgame altercation between Michigan and Ohio State players was unacceptable. It's a reflection of the Ohio State culture, how it's built, and how they control their players' behavior. Change needs to be made at the top," a commenter said. Another one shared, "It was ugly." "I agree with this. Bush league stuff. The HC needs to address this internally and with the press," a third follower added. Others, however, were critical of Ohio State and pointed out that they could have handled things better. "No room for what? Celebrations on the field? Raising a flag after victory? Guess you've never watched the Olympics... Or OSU v Michigan 2022....." a critic shared. A social media user shared, "I don’t get why everyone gets so mad when teams fight. It’s football, it’s passion. Everyone love to see the teams fight, especially when it’s started because someone got their feelings hurt because they lost." Another commenter defended Michigan, noting, "The media is pushing the narrative that the Michigan player was going to plant the flag but all he did was walk with a flag he never made a move to plant it. Even if he was going to you know what would have stopped that, win the game OSU." © Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images For what it's worth, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day appeared to defend his players' actions in his postgame presser, saying that they wouldn't simply let a rival team disrespect them by planting a flag on their field. It remains to be seen what kind of punishment awaits both teams for the brawl, but as Urban Meyer suggested, such actions shouldn't be tolerated. Related: Laura Rutledge’s Husband Reacts to Her Post On College Football SaturdayMEAC champion S.C. State smashes Norfolk State in Spartans’ finale

Kemi Badenoch has long proved herself to be a gaffe-prone politician - and that trend has not ended since she was elected Tory leader. In the the race to replace Rishi Sunak , the former Business Secretary found herself at the mercy of headline after headline amid interview car crashes and bizarre moments. At the Tory conference in September, she caused a huge row after claiming maternity pay was "overburdening businesses". Elsewhere during the conference she said between 5% and 10% of civil servants are "should-be-in-prison bad" . This would mean between 25,000 and 50,000 were put behind bars. During the same month she was mocked after claiming she became working class when she got a job in McDonalds. Since becoming the leader of the Conservative Party on November 2, Ms Badenoch has had a rocky road. Her performances at the weekly Prime Minister's Questions clash with Keir Starmer have been branded underwhelming - and the latest YouGov polling shows more than half of Brits think she does not look like a Prime Minister in waiting. Here The Mirror takes a look at some of her top gaffes and weird moments since becoming Tory leader. 1. Partygate was 'overblown' A day after becoming Tory leader, Ms Badenoch thought it would be a good idea to declare Boris Johnson a "great" Prime Minister and that the Partygate scandal was "overblown". In her first major interview since winning the contest to replace Mr Sunak , Ms Badenoch suggested the problem instead was with the Covid fines. During his time in No10, Mr Johnson became the first sitting PM to be sanctioned by police after he was found to have breached his own Covid rules. Despite being among dozens who resigned from his government in July 2022, Ms Badenoch told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: "I thought he was a great Prime Minister. "But there were some serious issues which were not being resolved and I think that during that tenure the public thought that we were not speaking for them or looking out for them, we were in it for ourselves." She went on: "Some of those things I think were perception issues, a lot of the stuff that happened around partygate was not why I resigned. I thought that it was overblown. We should not have created fixed penalty notices, for example. That was us not going with our principles." She added that the public was "not wrong to be upset about partygate", but said : "The problem was that we should not have criminalised everyday activities the way that we did." At the time, chair of the Labour Party Ellie Reeves said: “Listening to Kemi Badenoch dismiss Partygate as 'overblown' will add insult to injury for families across Britain who followed the rules, missing loved one’s deaths and family funerals, whilst her colleagues partied in Downing Street." 2. Misleading attack at PMQs At the start of November Kemi Badenoch used her first PMQs session to launch a misleading attack on the Government over defence spending. The new Tory leader told MPs there was nothing in the October Budget on defence spending. In fact Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced an additional £2.9billion for the Ministry of Defence and said the Government would "set a path" to spending 2.5% of GDP on defending the country. Ms Badenoch told the PM: "His Chancellor's Budget did not even mention defence. The Chancellor's budget last week was a copy and paste of Bidenomics. It turns out that a high spending, high borrowing, high inflation approach is less popular than she may have thought." The PM shot back: "The one thing I learned as leader of the opposition it is a good idea to listen to what the Government is actually saying. I think she said defence wasn't mentioned in the Budget. It was seven days ago and it is absolutely clear and central to the Budget." He said that the Government is committed to bringing defence spending to 2.5% - and pointed out that the last time this was achieved was under the last Labour government. 3. Sandwich In December Kemi Badenoch triggered a bizarre row after launching an attack on sandwiches - and dismissing them as not "real food". It caused Keir Starmer to issue a defence of sandwiches as a "great British institution" . In a magazine interview, she said "lunch is for wimps" before ranting: "I don't think sandwiches are a real food, it's what you have for breakfast." Describing her daily routine, Ms Badenoch said: "What's a lunch break? Lunch is for wimps. I have food brought in and I work and eat at the same time." She added that she "will not touch bread if it’s moist”. And in another weird turn, she revealed that she sometimes has a steak brought to her as she works. No10 was having none of it. The PM's official spokesman said at the time: "I think he was surprised to hear that the leader of the Opposition has a steak brought in for lunch. The Prime Minister is quite happy with a sandwich lunch." He added that the PM "enjoys a tuna sandwich and occasionally a cheese toastie". Ms Badenoch's rant was a far cry from her predecessor's equally odd moment, in which Mr Sunak claimed his favourite meal is "sandwiches" in a cringe-worthy appearance on ITV's This Morning in July. 4. Criticism of PM backfires In another wobbly PMQs moment in November, Ms Badenoch appeared to read from her pre-prepared lines as she attacked the government's "cruel family farms tax" over a changes in October's Budget. But it landed her in trouble when moments after she attempted to attack Mr Starmer on his "scripted lines". It caused a severe mocking from the PM , who drew loud laughter from the Labour benches. He responded sharply: "I'm happy to help the leader of the opposition. If she's going to complain about scripted answers, it's probably best not to read that from a script. "I'm glad she's raised farmers. Because the budget last week put £5billion over the next two years into farming. That's the single biggest increase, unlike the £300million which was underspent under the last government. But when it comes to inheritance, the vast vast majority of farmers will be unaffected, as she well knows; as they well know." 5. Flat-rate tax is an attractive idea In December Ms Badenoch came under fire after suggesting millionaires should pay the same rate of tax as the poor. The Tory leader faced comparisons to Liz Truss after saying a flat tax rate is a "very attractive" idea. She made the comments at a theatre that was ironically showing a pantomime of Robin Hood - the heroic character known for helping the poor. Ms Badenoch said the country couldn't afford to introduce a flat rate of tax at the moment and that the cost of welfare, such as benefits, in the country needs to be "turned around" to do so. The comments triggered comparisons to disastrous ex-PM Ms Truss , who tried to push for tax cuts for the rich but crashed the economy with her unfunded promises. At the time in 2022, Ms Truss admitted her plans would disproportionately benefit wealthy people. Currently British people pay different levels of tax depending on their tax band - which is determined by how much they earn. Critics have warned that introducing a flat rate in the UK would mean low paid earners would face a tax rise, while high earners would face a tax rise. Labour analysis showed that Ms Badenoch's idea could see low earners facing a £1,200 tax hike , while the highest earners would get a tax cut of more than £5,000. A Labour spokesman hit back: “ Kemi Badenoch needs to come clean about how much she would hike taxes on working people to pay for tax cuts for the super-rich. While Labour protects working people with no tax rises on their payslips, the Tories are bringing out the ghost of Christmas past with these Truss-style tax cuts for millionaires. They haven’t listened and they haven’t learnt.” 6. Row with Nigeria A row erupted earlier in December between Kemi Badenoch and the Nigerian Vice-President Kashim Shettima, who hit out at the Tory leader for having talked down Nigeria. Ms Badenoch, who was born in the UK but mostly raised in the West African country, previously said "fear was everywhere" during her childhood in Lagos. Nigerian Vice-President Kashim Shettima suggested Ms Badenoch could "remove the Kemi from her name" if she was not proud of her "nation of origin". During a speech, he said his government was "proud" of her "in spite of her efforts at denigrating her nation of origin." The audience applauded him as he added: "She is entitled to her own opinions; she has even every right to remove the Kemi from her name but that does not underscore the fact that the greatest black nation on earth is the nation called Nigeria." He compared her comments to Mr Sunak's pride in his Indian heritage, describing him as "a brilliant young man" who "never denigrated his nation of ancestry". Ms Badenoch's spokesman hit back that she "stands by what she says" and "is not the PR for Nigeria". "She is the leader of the opposition and she is very proud of her leadership of the opposition in this country," he said. "She tells the truth. She tells it like it is. She is not going to couch her words." 7. Fumbling words in PMQs In another on-edge moment in PMQs, confusion circled the chamber as Ms Badenoch fumbled her words - which ended up making no sense. Talking about Mr Starmer's Cop29 trip, Ms Badenoch said: "I welcome the Prime Minister back from his trip to Azerbaijan where he has unilaterally made commitments that will make life more experience (sic) back home." MPs in the Commons wondered what she was talking about... As she continued, it became apparent she had meant to say "expensive". She went on: "He has made life more expensive with his unilateral commitments but speaking of making life more expensive, will the Prime Minister confirm that he will keep the cap on council tax?" The PM replied: "She talks of the trip to Cop. I'm very proud of the fact that we're restoring leadership on climate. That will be measured in lower bills, on energy independence and the jobs of the future." He added: "On the question of councils, she knows what the arrangements are." Be the first with news from Mirror Politics BLUESKY: Follow our Mirror Politics account on Bluesky here . And follow our Mirror Politics team here - Lizzy Buchan , Jason Beattie , Kevin Maguire , Sophie Huskisson , Dave Burke , Ashley Cowburn , Mikey Smith POLITICS WHATSAPP: Be first to get the biggest bombshells and breaking news by joining our Politics WhatsApp group here . We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you want to leave our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice . NEWSLETTER: Or sign up here to the Mirror's Politics newsletter for all the best exclusives and opinions straight to your inbox. PODCAST: And listen to our exciting new political podcast The Division Bell , hosted by the Mirror and the Express every Thursday. 8. Bizarre agreement with PM In another weird PMQs moment in November, Ms Badenoch attacked Labour's economic announcements - including on money for local authorities - before bizarrely agreeing with Mr Starmer's comeback. In her rant, the Tory leader called Rachel Reeves a "copy and paste chancellor" and claimed "it is clear they had not thought through the impact of the Budget". But Mr Starmer hit back and said Labour's October Budget "does not increase tax on working people" and is putting huge investment into the NHS, schools and housing. The PM added: "If she's against those things, she should say so." In response, Ms Badenoch surprisingly agreed: "I'm not against any of those things, of course not, none of us are against any of those things. But he has confirmed that he does not know what is going on. "The Prime Minister probably does not realise that on Monday the Ministry for Communities, Local Government and Housing revealed that councils will need to find an additional £2.4 billion in council tax next year. That is a lot more than £600 million. I know that he has been away, but did the Deputy Prime Minister who runs that department make him aware of their £2.4billion black hole?" Mr Starmer replied: "Let me get this straight, she doesn't want any of the measures in the Budget, but she wants all the benefits. So the budget management is back after two weeks in office. They've learned absolutely nothing. We put forward a Budget which takes the difficult decisions, fixing the £22billion black hole, investing in the future of our country. They say they want all of that, but they don't know how they're going to pay for it - same old Tories." 9. Laughing at MP's question In November Ms Badenoch was called out on social media for laughing after an MP criticised her for saying maternity pay is "excessive". The new Tory leader came under fire at the Conservative Party conference in September that maternity pay had gone “too far”. She rowed back on her comments after widespread criticism, claiming “of course” she believes in maternity pay. But she maintained that maternity pay - as well as minimum wage - was "overburdening businesses" . During the PMqs session, Labour MP Lloyd Hatton asked Mr Starmer : "Members have raised their concerns of a range of damaging policies pursued by the Leader of the Opposition. These include voting against critical investment for our NHS , stating maternity pay is excessive and that the minimum wage is a burden, and even backing harmful backing when last in government." The camera then cut to Ms Badenoch laughing on the opposition benches in the Commons. Ms Badenoch hit back: "The Prime Minister can plant as many questions as he likes with his backbenchers but at the end of the day I am the one he has to face at the despatch box."

Canada’s dried flower exports have seen impressive growth, doubling year-over-year in 3Q24, with the sector hitting record levels in October. According to Pablo Zuanic , senior analyst at Zuanic & Associates , “The strong growth in dried flower exports signals a thriving international market, with Germany emerging as a key driver.” Get Benzinga's exclusive analysis and the top news about the cannabis industry and markets daily in your inbox for free. Subscribe to our newsletter here . You can’t afford to miss out if you're serious about the business. Record-Breaking October And Strong 3Q Growth In October 2024, Canadian dried flower exports reached an all-time high of $20.18 million, positioning Canada's export market to surpass $187.5 million by the end of 2024, compared to $120 million in 2023 and $96 million in 2022. For 3Q24, exports totaled C$69 million, a 106% year-over-year increase and a 19% quarter-over-quarter rise. Zuanic forecasts that Q4 2024 will see further growth, potentially reaching C$85 million, a year-over-year jump of 87%. Germany And Australia Lead Export Growth While Australia remains the largest importer of Canadian dried flowers, Germany is rapidly gaining ground. In 3Q24, Germany accounted for 26% of total Canadian dried flower exports, a significant increase from 28% in the previous year. Notably, sales to Germany , including reshipments from Portugal, were responsible for about half of the export growth during the quarter. Zuanic points out , "Germany's stock-outs and tight inventories reflect ongoing demand, suggesting strong growth ahead for the market.” Average export prices for dried flowers in 3Q24 stood at $1.58 per gram, a decrease from $1.67 per gram in Q2 but up from $1.46 per gram in Q3 2023. Export prices to Germany were notably higher at $2.55 per gram, up from $2.39 per gram in Q2, highlighting the lucrative nature of the German market . Zuanic also highlighted the performance of key players in the export space. "Aurora’s ACB exports come entirely from Canada, while Curaleaf CURLF ships from Canada to Portugal for EU GMP processing," he noted. Read Also: Europe Is Turning Cash Flow Positive, ‘We’ll See What Happens In The U.S.,’ Says Curaleaf’s Boris Jordan Extracts Market Shows Less Consistent Growth While dried flower exports have flourished, the growth of Canada’s cannabis extracts , including oils and vapes , has been more erratic. Exports of extracts totaled $32.02 million for the first nine months of 2024, down from $41.7 million in the same period of 2023. Notably, flower exports now vastly outpace extracts. In 2023, flower exports were more than twice the value of extracts, but by 3Q24, dried flower exports were nearly six times the size of extracts. Zuanic explains, "As medical cannabis markets deregulate, dried flower exports are likely to continue driving overall growth, especially in Germany.” Read Also: $2.9B European Cannabis Market: A Strategic Blueprint For Cross-Border Transportation Logistics Down The Commodity Lane What does Zuanic's analysis teach other markets? We could argue that while Canada leads in cannabis exports, it remains heavily reliant on the commoditization of raw flowers, which risks the deterioration of exchange terms over time, especially as European countries begin to extract oil locally rather than purchasing Canadian cannabis oil. Emerging cannabis economies like Colombia , Argentina , and South Africa must avoid this trap by investing in value-added industries such as oils, extracts, and vapes, to ensure they aren't relegated to supplying just raw materials. By focusing on developing local processing and product innovation, they can capture a larger share of the global cannabis value chain and secure more sustainable, profitable growth in the future. Read Next: German Cannabis: 20 Tons, 10M Grams – And That’s Only 0.3% Of The Market, What’s Missing? © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

I paid $1,500 for a three-night stay at a wellness resort called Palmaïa, The House of AïA. My king suite with an ocean view was super comfortable and I loved the 24-hour room service. I left the resort feeling better than I did when I arrived, so I'd say it was worth the money. Advertisement For me, traveling is the ultimate act of self-care. So, when I came across a wellness resort called Palmaïa, The House of AïA, on Hotels.com 's Perfect Somewheres list — which highlights some of the top 1% of hotels on the company's app — I booked a trip . I'd seen some of my favorite influencers raving about their stays at the all-inclusive resort located in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, so I had high hopes for my trip to the wellness spot. Advertisement As a Hotels.com Platinum One Key member, I got a 36% discount when I booked my trip and paid about $1,500 for a three-night stay. Here's what my experience was like.

NoneMUNICH (AP) — Harry Kane is the quickest player to score 50 goals in the Bundesliga after scoring a hat trick on his 43rd appearance on Friday. Kane’s three goals – including two penalties – gave Bayern a , stretching the Bavarian powerhouse’s lead to eight points ahead of the rest of the 11th round. Kane scored 36 goals in 32 league appearances last season, his first for Bayern after joining from Tottenham. It was also the first season since 2012 that Bayern failed to win the title, as Bayer Leverkusen went undefeated to snap Bayern’s winning run. As well as 14 league goals this season, Kane has scored five in the Champions League and one in the German Cup. Against Augsburg, he had to be patient as Augsburg goalkeeper Nediljko Labrović and his defenders stood firm. “It was somehow typical Harry Kane,” Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said. “It was close in the first half, close, close, close, and then it happens, I think three goals in 15 minutes. Of course, he can do that. But for such a player, I have to say, he had a lot of chances that he could maybe make more of. Then, in an instant, everything is perfect and he can score many goals.” ___ AP soccer:

Maple Leafs Must Exploit Divisional Rival in Trade to Land Key ForwardWASHINGTON — President Joe Biden faces a stark choice as he contemplates broad preemptive pardons to protect aides and allies from potential retribution by Donald Trump: Does he hew to the institutional norms he’s spent decades defending or flex the powers of the presidency in untested ways? The deliberations so far are largely at the level of White House lawyers. But the president discussed the topic with senior aides, according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss. No decisions have been made, the people said, and it is possible Biden opts to do nothing at all. President Joe Biden speaks Thursday during a tree-lighting ceremony on the Ellipse near the White House in Washington. Biden is taking the idea seriously and has been thinking about it for as much as six months — before the presidential election — but has been concerned about the precedent it would set, according to another person familiar with the president’s discussions who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Pardons are historically afforded to those accused of specific crimes — and usually to those who have already been convicted of an offense — but Biden’s team is considering issuing them for some who have not even been investigated, let alone charged. The president could, if he chooses, issue blanket pardons to specific people whom Trump and his allies threatened to punish. Or he could pardon a broad class of people — not unlike pardons issued to those convicted of federal marijuana offenses or those ensnared in the “don't ask, don't tell” military policies. A federal judge rebuked President Joe Biden's pardon for his son, Hunter, who the president claims was unfairly prosecuted. Either way, he'd be using the powers of the presidency in a new way. Some worry that Trump and his allies, who talked of enemies lists and exacting “retribution,” could launch investigations that would be reputationally and financially costly for targeted people even if they don’t result in prosecutions. Biden already extended a broad pardon to his son, Hunter , who was convicted and pleaded guilty in tax and gun cases. He explained that decision by saying he believed the prosecution of his son was poisoned by politics. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Friday that Biden plans additional pardons before leaving office, though she would not elaborate on the process. She referenced “changing factors” that motivated the president to pardon his son despite promising he wouldn’t. She said Republicans continued to try to see Hunter Biden investigated for an array of alleged offenses, a rationale that could support additional pardons for Biden aides and allies. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks Friday during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington. It was two weeks ago that one of the president’s closest allies in Congress, Rep, Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, encouraged Biden to pardon his son Hunter. The morning after that conversation, Clyburn told Biden’s staff that he believed the president should also pardon those being targeted by Trump. “I was very forceful in my discussions with him about what I thought he ought to do regarding his son,” Clyburn said Friday. “But I also told them that I thought he ought to go even further, because all the noise about Jack Smith and Liz Cheney and Doctor Fauci and all of that.” Special Counsel Jack Smith has been investigating Trump for his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and for accusations he hoarded classified documents at his home. Liz Cheney, a conservative Republican , was the vice chairwoman of the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection and campaigned for Vice President Kamala Harris. Fauci, an infectious-disease expert, was instrumental in the government's response to the coronavirus. All raised the ire of Trump. President-elect Donald Trump criticized President Joe Biden's decision to pardon Hunter Biden for federal gun and tax convictions, calling it a "miscarriage of justice." Trump highlighted individuals imprisoned for the January 6th Capitol riots, questioning whether they were included in Biden's pardon. Trump suggested he might consider pardoning Hunter Biden during an interview in October, expressing concern over its impact on the country. Hunter Biden's pardon prevents significant prison time, as he faced nearly forty years for gun and tax-related convictions. Clyburn said he told Biden’s team, only half jokingly, that because the Supreme Court already said the president has certain immunities, “let’s give that same immunity to Jack Smith for carrying out his duties and to, Doctor Fauci, Liz Cheney, they were carrying out their duties.” Among those mentioned publicly for possible presidential pardons, there are different sentiments on whether pardons would even be wanted. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi supported the president’s move to pardon his son, but was silent on the speculation that Biden is considering additional pardons for her or others. A top Pelosi ally, Rep. Adam Schiff, the Democratic congressman who led Trump’s first impeachment, panned the idea of pardoning Biden's allies. He says “the courts are strong enough to withstand” the worst of Trump’s threats. “I don’t think a preemptive pardon makes sense,” the incoming senator told NPR recently. “I would urge the president not to do that. I think it would seem defensive and unnecessary,” Schiff said. Several people on President-elect Donald Trump's team are reportedly supporting efforts to make an Edward Snowden pardon happen. Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin, the lead manager on Trump’s second impeachment on the charge of inciting the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol, said the speech and debate clause in the Constitution already protects members of Congress from prosecution for participating in their legislative duties. Raskin said figures like Mark Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and John Kelly , Trump's former White House chief of staff, would similarly be protected by the First Amendment. Still, Raskin said the question is, “Should they go through the criminal investigation and prosecution for not doing anything wrong? I think that’s why this whole issue has erupted.” Raksin added that with Trump promising to pardon hundreds of people who assaulted police officers on Jan. 6, “I can hardly fault President Biden for exploring the use of the pardon to protect people from a fraudulent and unjust prosecution.” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he’s had no conversations with the White House regarding any preemptive pardons for current or former members of Congress. Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) President Joe Biden walks to the Oval Office after attending the House Democratic Caucus Issues Conference, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz arrive during a campaign rally at Desert Diamond Arena, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) A delegate looks at her phone during the Republican National Convention Wednesday, July 17, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Jocardo Ralston, 47, from Pennsylvania, looks up to a television to watch the presidential debate between President Joe Biden and Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump at Tillie's Lounge on Thursday, June 27, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Supporters of Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump look on as a bus carrying Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris passes by following a campaign event, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Rochester, Pa. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Attendees look on at a campaign rally for Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Annie Mulligan) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris arrives to speak on the final day of the Democratic National Convention, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump gestures as he arrives at the Republican National Convention Wednesday, July 17, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at PPG Paints Arena, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Pittsburgh, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, left, and former first lady Michelle Obama arrive to speak during a campaign rally, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024 at the Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo, Mich. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) A supporter greets Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump after a campaign event at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) A political advertisement for Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris is displayed on the Sphere, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris walks toward reporters to speak before boarding Air Force Two, as she departs Las Vegas from Harry Reid International Airport, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, en route to Arizona. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) A voter works on her ballot at a polling place at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Simi Valley, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) Former President Donald Trump waits for the start of proceedings in Manhattan criminal court, Tuesday, April 23, 2024, in New York. Before testimony resumes Tuesday, the judge will hold a hearing on prosecutors' request to sanction and fine Trump over social media posts they say violate a gag order prohibiting him from attacking key witnesses. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, Pool) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump dances after speaking at a campaign event Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Savannah, Ga. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris looks at a monitor of the event from backstage, just before taking the stage for her final campaign rally, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump is prayed over with Pastor Paula White during the National Faith Summit at Worship With Wonders Church, Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in Powder Springs, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) Forgiato Blow wears a necklace with a likeness of former President Donald Trump before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Elon Musk jumps on the stage as Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Voters stand in line outside a polling place at Madison Church, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Phoenix, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris hugs President Biden during the Democratic National Convention Monday, Aug. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at Lee's Family Forum, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Henderson, Nev. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump is reflected in the bullet proof glass as he finishes speaking at a campaign rally in Lititz, Pa., Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, bottom center, greets supporters after speaking during a campaign rally Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024 at the Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo, Mich. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign rally outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) A young girl holds a "Black Voters for Harris-Walz" sign outside of Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris' election night watch party at Howard University, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, left, shares a laugh with second gentleman Doug Emhoff, after reuniting in Pittsburgh, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, aboard Air Force Two, just before taking off from Pittsburgh for her final campaign rally in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool) With tears streaming down her face, a supporter of Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris applauds as Harris delivers a concession speech after the 2024 presidential election, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, on the campus of Howard University in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Bikers show their support for President-elect Donald Trump while riding on I-84, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, near Lords Valley, Pa. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump stands on stage with steelworkers as he speaks during a campaign rally at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, in Latrobe, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Supporters cheer as Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Erie, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris appears on NBC's "Saturday Night Live," with Maya Rudolph, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024 in New York. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) A delegate wearing a small American flag on his ear watches as Republican presidential candidate and former president, Donald Trump, speaks during the final day of the Republican National Convention Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris hugs a child after speaking during a campaign event at Washington Crossing Historic Park, in Washington Crossing, Pa., Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) President Joe Biden pauses before he addresses the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, about his decision to drop his Democratic presidential reelection bid. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, Pool) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump departs after speaking at a campaign event at the Butler Farm Show, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) A voter watches the stage before former first lady Michelle Obama speaks at campaign rally in support of Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, in College Park, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris shake hands before the start of an ABC News presidential debate at the National Constitution Center, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

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