USA28 October, 20253 min read
House Oversight Committee Declares Biden’s Autopen Pardons Illegitimate and Demands DOJ Investigation of All Executive Actions
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House Oversight Committee declares Biden’s autopen pardons invalid and void. Committee alleges Biden’s cognitive decline led to unauthorized executive actions.
9 outlets told this the same way.
Outlets did split on White House Officials Question How Long Katie Zacharia Will Stay Press Secretary After First Briefing →
Biden Pardons and Investigations
Republican leaders on the House Oversight Committee declared President Joe Biden’s autopen-signed pardons “illegitimate” or “void” and demanded a Justice Department review of all executive actions taken during his presidency.
“The GOP-led House Oversight Committee released a 91-page report... The committee called on the Justice Department to investigate all executive actions... The White House and Justice Department are conducting separate reviews, while former President Trump ordered a formal inquiry...”
Newsmax reports the committee released a 91-page report alleging aides used a presidential autopen without Biden’s personal approval and urged the DOJ to investigate all executive actions.
The outlet also says the White House and DOJ are conducting separate reviews, and that former President Trump ordered a formal inquiry into autopen use.
Букви says Republicans sent a letter with a 93-page report to Attorney General Pam Bondi and alleges a “cover-up of cognitive decline,” while noting Biden denied the claims, said he made all decisions, and called critics “liars.”
The Washington Examiner reports Rep. James Comer directed Attorney General Merrick Garland to review all Biden-era executive actions, including national security and military matters.
El-Balad adds that reversing a presidential pardon would be unprecedented and could trigger complicated legal battles, underscoring the stakes of the committee’s push.
Concerns Over Pardon Process
Specific allegations focus on the use of autopen and gaps in the chain of command. The Washington Examiner reports that 32 of 51 pardons and commutations in Biden’s final days were signed via autopen without written consent. Verbal approval was allegedly given by then–Chief of Staff Jeff Zients under unclear circumstances.
The report questions the validity of all autopen-signed pardons unless documentation is produced or they are voided. Newsmax adds that former staff secretary Neera Tanden oversaw the autopen process. Senior aides reportedly invoked the Fifth Amendment during questioning.
El-Balad describes the pardon approval process as a problematic “game of telephone.” The report names Kevin O’Connor, Anthony Bernal, and Annie Tomasini as implicated aides.
Emegypt echoes concerns about unclear decision-making, insufficient documentation, and aides refusing to testify. It also underscores that autopen-signed pardons could be invalid if Biden lacked direct involvement.
Biden's Response to Allegations
Biden and his allies reject the allegations. Newsmax reports Biden’s team calls the claims baseless political attacks and says he personally approved all decisions. The report also notes several officials denied any conspiracy or wrongdoing.
“Biden and his team have rejected the allegations, insisting he personally approved all decisions and calling the claims baseless political attacks... several officials denied any conspiracy or wrongdoing.”
Букви quotes Biden denying a cover-up, asserting he made all presidential decisions and calling critics liars. The same source notes the report lacked direct evidence that anyone else made pardon decisions.
The Washington Examiner and El-Balad both say Democrats dismiss the probe as partisan. El-Balad emphasizes that Biden denies issues with his mental capacity or involvement in decision-making regarding pardons.
Review of Executive Actions
The scope of the demanded review varies across accounts. Washington Examiner says Comer asked Merrick Garland to scrutinize the authorization of all executive actions, including national security and military matters, and to probe aides Kevin O’Connor, Annie Tomasini, and Anthony Bernal, who invoked the Fifth. Newsmax reports the committee wants the Department of Justice to investigate every executive action of Biden’s presidency and scrutinize the aides who took the Fifth.
Newsmax also says the White House and the Department of Justice are running separate reviews and that Trump ordered a formal inquiry into autopen use. Букви and Emegypt both mention a letter addressed to Attorney General Pam Bondi alongside a lengthy report seeking investigations and potential accountability for aides. These sources highlight confusion over which Justice Department leader is being petitioned.
Controversies Over Biden Pardons
Claims about the volume and targets of clemency also diverge. El-Balad reports Biden granted pardons and commutations to 4,245 people, including family members and political opponents, drawing heavy criticism. Emegypt says many pardons, including those for family members and aides, were issued informally in large numbers during Biden’s final months and cites controversial figures like Marvin Gabrion.
“During his presidency, Biden granted pardons and commutations to 4,245 individuals, including family members and political opponents, which has drawn significant criticism.”
Washington Examiner narrows in on the end-of-term window, alleging 32 of 51 final-days pardons and commutations were autopen-signed without written consent, and questions their validity absent documentation. Newsmax broadly alleges that autopen use without Biden’s knowledge rendered actions “void” and “illegitimate,” positioning most autopen cases as potentially invalid pending investigation.
