Latest news with #AutoPen
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Biden breakdown: Where investigations into the former president stand
Former President Joe Biden left office in January, but questions about his mental acuity and decline while in office continue to mount amid the release of audio of his interview with former Special Counsel Robert Hur and his cancer diagnosis, drawing attention to a number of actions taken in his final days in office and beyond. Biden Struggles With Words, Key Memories In Leaked Audio From Special Counsel Hur Interview Here's a look at the known, active investigations into the former president and his team: Former President Joe Biden used his final weeks as commander-in-chief to grant clemency and pardon more than 1,500 individuals, in what the White House described at the time as the largest single-day act of clemency by a U.S. president. The Justice Department is reviewing the list of people that were granted pardons by former President Joe Biden, amid concerns about his use of an AutoPen to automatically sign documents. DOJ Pardon Attorney Ed Martin is reviewing the list of Biden-era pardons granted during the former president's final weeks in office, including the one granted to his son, Hunter Biden, and the preemptive pardons granted to Dr. Anthony Fauci, Gen. Mark Milley, Biden family members, and members of the House Committee investigating Jan. 6. Read On The Fox News App Biden Only Hand-signed One Pardon During Final Spree, And It Was His Most Controversial One But Biden only signed one pardon by hand during his final weeks in office—and it was his most controversial one—for his son, Hunter Biden. Biden pardoned his son Hunter in December 2024 after vowing to the American people for months he would not do so. Hunter Biden was found guilty of three felony gun offenses during special counsel David Weiss' investigation. The first son was also charged with federal tax crimes over his alleged failure to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes. Before his trial, Hunter Biden entered a surprise guilty plea. Former President Biden in December 2024 announced a blanket pardon that applies to any offenses against the U.S. that Hunter Biden "has committed or may have committed" from Jan. 1, 2014, to Dec. 1, 2024. "From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department's decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted," the former president said. Here Are Biden's Most Controversial Pardons, Mainly Signed Using Autopen "There has been an effort to break Hunter — who has been five and a half years sober, even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution. In trying to break Hunter, they've tried to break me — and there's no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough. "I hope Americans will understand why a father and a president would come to this decision." The House Oversight Committee, led by Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., is leading an investigation into an alleged cover-up of Biden's mental decline. The investigation, specifically, is into whether those inside Biden's inner-circle knowingly colluded to hide the former president's declining mental acuity and used methods to circumvent the former president when it came to the issuance of important orders, particularly through the use of an autopen tool used to mimic the president's signature. House Gop Secures Four Key Witnesses In Biden Mental-decline Probe As Former Aides Agree To Talk So far, four former Biden aides have agreed to voluntarily testify for transcribed interviews, including the director of Biden's former Domestic Policy Council, Neera Tanden, Biden's assistant and senior advisor to the first lady, Anthony Bernal, former special assistant to Biden and Deputy Director of Oval Office Operations, Ashley Williams, and Biden's Deputy Chief of Staff, Annie Tomasini. Tanden will appear before the House Oversight Committee on June 24, Bernal two days later on June 26, while Williams will testify July 11 and Tomasini on July 18. Lone Biden Official Breaks Silence On Cognitive Decline As Cabinet Stays Mute But Biden's former White House doctor, Kevin O'Connor declined an invitation to sit for a transcribed interview scheduled for June 27. Comer subpoenaed O'Connor to compel that testimony. Comer sent letters to five more top former Biden staffers, putting his total outreach in the investigation to 10 people so far. The latest round of letters are being sent to former White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain, former senior communications advisor Anita Dunn, former top advisors Michael Donilon and Steve Ricchetti, and former Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Bruce Reed. Former President Joe Biden was diagnosed with an "aggressive form" of prostate cancer in May. "Last week, President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms," Biden's team shared in a statement. "On Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone." "While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management. The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians," the statement said. Joe Biden Diagnosed With 'Aggressive Form' Of Prostate Cancer With Metastasis To The Bone During his presidency, Biden had a "cancerous" skin lesion removed from his chest, the White House said at the time. Biden, during a 2022 speech discussing pollution in his home state, said: "That's why I and so damn many other people I grew up (with) have cancer." But House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer has expanded his investigation into Biden's mental decline to include an investigation into the timeline of when Biden learned he had cancer. Biden's White House Physician Subpoenaed As Republicans Dig Deeper Into Alleged Cognitive Decline Cover-up "If you'll remember, Joe Biden did an interview several years ago and said he had cancer. The White House quickly issued a statement saying, oh, he misspoke," Comer said during an appearance on Fox Business' "Mornings with Maria." "Now, how many people do you know in the history of the world that have misspoke saying they had cancer when they really didn't?" Comer added: "So there's evidence out there that would suggest that there's been a cover-up with respect to his cancer for many years, just based on Joe Biden's own words." Comer has subpoenaed O'Connor, the former White House physician who gave Biden several clean bills of health. Fox News' Alec Schemmel and Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report. Original article source: Biden breakdown: Where investigations into the former president stand
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump's Justice Department to investigate Biden pardons, use of autopen
President Donald Trump's Justice Department is examining pardons issued by former President Joe Biden in the final days of his presidency, a move that comes amid an investigation by the House Oversight Committee into the former president's cognitive health and use of autopen, the White House has confirmed. Ed Martin, the Justice Department's pardon attorney, told staff June 2 that he had been directed to investigate clemency and pardons granted by Biden, a Democrat, in the waning days of his presidency to family members and death row inmates, according to Reuters. In an email seen by Reuters, the investigation will focus on whether Biden "was competent and whether others were taking advantage of him through use of AutoPen or other means." An autopen is a device that mechanically replicates a signature. Presidents, including Trump, have used autopens for decades. There is no law prohibiting the use of autopens for pardons, as previous presidents have done. At a news briefing June 3, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the question was not whether the autopen had been used. "It's whether or not the president of the United States knew it was being used, and if not, who was using it in his name, which is clearly, illegal behavior," she said. There is no evidence to suggest anyone used the autopen without Biden's knowledge. On Jan 20, the last day of his presidency, Biden pardoned his siblings and their spouses, saying his family had been 'subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats, motivated solely by a desire to hurt me − the worst kind of partisan politics.' On the campaign trail in 2023, Trump, who was then facing four criminal indictments, vowed to appoint a special prosecutor if he was reelected to 'go after' Biden and his family. The pardons went to Biden's siblings James Biden, Frank Biden and Valerie Biden Owens as well as their spouses, John Owens and Sara Biden. Biden on Dec. 1 pardoned his son Hunter Biden, who had pleaded guilty to tax violations and was convicted on firearms-related charges. A spokeswoman for Biden refused to comment on the development. The 82-year old Democrat announced last month that he had been diagnosed with an 'aggressive' Stage 4 prostate cancer. Questions around Biden's mental health intensified after his presidential debate with then-Republican nominee Donald Trump in June 2024; he ultimately dropped out of the White House race, paving the way for then-Vice President Kamala Harris to become the Democratic nominee. On May 22, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Kentucky, sent letters to Biden's physician and former White House aides demanding they appear for a transcribed interview as part of an investigation into Biden's health and use of the autopen. The investigation's stated purpose is to 'uncover the truth' about Biden's "mental decline and potential unauthorized use of an autopen for sweeping pardons and other executive actions.' Letters seeking testimony have been sent to staffers including Anthony Bernal, former senior adviser to the first lady; former Domestic Policy Council Director Neera Tanden; and former Deputy Chief of Staff Annie Tomasini. Martin, the DOJ official, who wrote the letter to staff, took over as director of the Weaponization Working Group, associate deputy attorney general and pardon attorney after his nomination for U.S. attorney for Washington D.C. was pulled by Trump in early May. Martin failed to get enough Republican support from Capitol Hill because of his championing of the Trump supporters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in an effort to overturn the 2020 election. Last week, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt asked former first lady Jill Biden to speak up about her husband's mental health, saying she was 'complicit' in a 'cover-up.' Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is a White House correspondent for USA TODAY. You can follow her on X @SwapnaVenugopal This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Justice Department to investigate Biden family pardons, autopen use
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Biden Breaks Cover to Torch Trump's ‘Ridiculous' Probe Into His Mental Fitness
Joe Biden has lashed out at President Donald Trump's 'ridiculous and false' claims that he was not making his own decisions while in the White House. The 82-year-old former president issued the rebuke after his successor launched a probe into Biden's alleged 'cognitive decline' while in office and whether his team took advantage of his diminishing mental state to sign off on a number of actions using an autopen. 'Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency,' Biden said in a statement distributed to multiple outlets. 'I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didn't is ridiculous and false.' He added: 'This is nothing more than a distraction by Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans, who are pushing disastrous legislation that would slash essential programs like Medicaid and raise costs on American families—all to fund tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy and big corporations.' Trump has ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi and David Warrington, the White House counsel, to lead the investigation into whether Biden's team 'purposefully shielded' the Democrat's declining mental acuity from the public. The order alleges, without evidence, that it has become 'increasingly apparent' that Biden's aides used the autopen to sign off on executive actions in order to 'conceal Biden's cognitive decline.' The autopen is a mechanical device that replicates a person's signature, allowing presidents to sign off on multiple executive actions. 'This conspiracy marks one of the most dangerous and concerning scandals in American history,' the memo said. Trump has been pushing the theory that Biden didn't personally sign the sweeping pardons issued just before leaving office, including one for his son, Hunter Biden, and preemptive pardons for other family members. His new order also points to Biden's appointment of 235 federal judges and the commutation of sentences for '37 of the 40 most vile and monstrous criminals' on death row as vindication for the investigation. 'Given clear indications that President Biden lacked the capacity to exercise his Presidential authority, if his advisors secretly used the mechanical signature pen to conceal this incapacity while taking radical executive actions in his name, that would constitute an unconstitutional wielding of presidential power,' the memo said. The Justice Department is conducting its own review of Biden's pardons for his family and death row inmates. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin reportedly directed staff to examine whether Biden was 'competent' at the time or if others were 'taking advantage of him through use of AutoPen or other means.' Biden's mental and physical fitness once again came under scrutiny following bombshell claims in Original Sin, a new book by CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios' Alex Thompson. Biden also recently announced he had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Trump—who is just three years younger than Biden—suggested Biden's team manipulated him into pushing for an 'open border' policy as president, as this was in contrast to the Democrat's long-standing views. 'He didn't approve this stuff, because when Joe Biden was with it, he would never have approved it,' Trump told reporters at the Capitol on May 20. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Daily Beast.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump Goes All In on Bonkers MAGA Conspiracy in Late-Night Post
President Donald Trump has doubled down on what appears to be his new favorite conspiracy theory in a late-night, all-caps Truth Social meltdown. Last week, Trump sounded off about 'the Biggest Scandal in American History'—other than the 'rigged' 2020 election—claiming someone had 'usurped' a mentally declining Joe Biden and used an 'autopen' to push through a radical-left agenda while Biden was president. An autopen is a machine used to replicate signatures which has become the center of a MAGA conspiracy theory focused on the pardons Biden granted in his last weeks in office. It's not known whether Biden even used the device to sign pardons. Early on Wednesday, Trump was at it again. 'With the exception of the RIGGED PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 2020,' he began, as he did in his previous post. Then, smashing the 'caps-lock' button, he raged: 'THE AUTOPEN IS THE BIGGEST POLITICAL SCANDAL IN AMERICAN HISTORY!!!' Some figures in the movement believe, as Trump has now suggested twice, that Biden did not call the shots during his presidency and that someone else undercut him and wielded presidential power with the clandestine use of an autopen. Trump's Department of Justice has even launched a probe into Biden's pardons, which came at the end of his term last year. The investigation, headed by Ed Martin, the department's pardon attorney, will also examine whether an autopen was used nefariously. According to an email seen by Reuters, Martin said the probe aims to find out whether Biden 'was competent and whether others were taking advantage of him through use of AutoPen or other means.' Legal experts point out that the U.S. Constitution grants the president broad clemency powers and states that there is no requirement for a handwritten signature on pardons. A 2005 Department of Justice memo supports the use of autopen for signing official documents, stating that the president may direct a subordinate to affix his signature using such a device. Martin himself, in soft-launching the probe last month, even admitted there was no issue. 'If you use the autopen for pardon power, I don't think that that's necessarily a problem,' he said. His new move, however, seems to be an attempt to get around that. Martin's email did not state who instigated the probe, or exactly which of Biden's family members will be investigated. The 82-year-old pardoned his son Hunter in November after he pleaded guilty to tax violations and was convicted on firearms-related charges. His pardon drew bipartisan criticism. The then-president also pre-emptively pardoned his brothers James and Frank and his sister Valerie Biden Owens. Their respective spouses were also shielded. In delivering the pardons, Joe Biden cited a desire to shield family members from future politically motivated prosecutions. White House spokesperson Harrison Fields told the Daily Beast on Tuesday that the probe was fair, given Biden's apparent condition by the time his term ended. 'The American people deserve to know the extent to which unelected staffers and an autopen acted as a proxy president due to the incompetence and infirmity of the previous president,' he said in a statement. 'President Trump was elected to restore the integrity and transparency of the office, and answering the question of who was actually running this country for four years is well within the president's rights.' The Department of Justice declined to respond. A Biden spokesperson was also contacted for comment.
The Herald Scotland
04-06-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
DOJ to investigate Biden family pardons, autopen use
In an email seen by Reuters, the investigation will focus on whether Biden "was competent and whether others were taking advantage of him through use of AutoPen or other means." An autopen is a device that mechanically replicates a signature. Presidents, including Trump, have used autopens for decades. There is no law prohibiting the use of autopens for pardons, as previous presidents have done. On Jan 20, the last day of his presidency, Biden pardoned his siblings and their spouses, saying his family had been "subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats, motivated solely by a desire to hurt me -- the worst kind of partisan politics." On the campaign trail in 2023, Trump, who was then facing four criminal indictments, vowed to appoint a special prosecutor if he was re-elected to "go after" President Biden and his family. The pardons went to Biden's siblings James Biden, Frank Biden and Valerie Biden Owens as well as their spouses, John Owens and Sara Biden. Biden on December 1 pardoned his son Hunter Biden who had pleaded guilty to tax violations and was convicted on firearms-related charges. A spokeswoman for Biden refused to comment on the development. The 82-year old Democrat announced last month that he'd been diagnosed with an "aggressive" Stage 4 prostate cancer. Questions around Biden's mental health came under public scrutiny during a June presidential debate with then-Republican nominee Donald Trump, raising questions about the Democrats' well-being, and he ultimately dropped out of the White House race paving the way for then-Vice President Kamala Harris. On May 22, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (Ky. -R) sent letters to Biden's physician and former White House aides demanding they appear for a transcribed interview as part of an investigation into Biden's health and use of autopen. The investigation's stated purpose is to "uncover the truth" about Biden's "mental decline and potential unauthorized use of an autopen for sweeping pardons and other executive actions." Letters seeking testimony have been sent to staffers including former senior adviser to the first lady Anthony Bernal, former Domestic Policy Council Director Neera Tanden and former deputy chief of staff Annie Tomasini. Martin, the DOJ official, who wrote the letter to staff took over as the director of the Weaponization Working Group, associate deputy attorney general, and pardon attorney after his nomination for U.S. attorney for Washington D.C. was pulled by Trump in early May. Martin failed to get enough Republican support from Capitol Hill due to his championing of the Trump supporters who attacked the U.S. Capitol in an effort to overturn the 2020 election on Jan. 6, 2021. Last week, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt asked former First lady Jill Biden to speak up about her husband's alleged mental decline, saying she was "complicit" in a "cover up." Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is a White House correspondent for USA TODAY. You can follow her on X @SwapnaVenugopal
