GOP Report Claims Biden Staff Misused Autopen Authority

The House Oversight Committee released a report on Tuesday alleging that staff members of former President Joe Biden misused presidential autopen authority and concealed information regarding his health. The Republican-controlled committee asserts that senior White House officials employed the autopen, a device used to replicate a president’s signature, to carry out executive actions without proper authorization.

According to the committee, aides sought to create a positive public perception of Biden’s health while misleading citizens about his condition. In a statement, Chairman James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, characterized this situation as “one of the biggest political scandals in U.S. history.” He claimed, “As Americans saw President Biden’s decline with their own eyes, Biden’s inner circle sought to deceive the public, cover up his decline and took unauthorized executive actions with the autopen that are now invalid.”

Comer called for an investigation by Attorney General Pam Bondi to determine whether Biden’s executive actions were properly authorized.

Democratic members of the committee strongly refuted the claims, labeling the allegations as unfounded attempts to undermine Biden’s legitimacy. They emphasized that the supposed “scandal” was merely a political maneuver.

The report indicates that a majority of the committee believes Biden decided to issue pardons on January 19, 2021, for several individuals, including members of his family and key figures from the January 6 insurrection, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, and former health director Anthony Fauci. However, the committee noted the absence of “contemporaneous” documentation of the meeting where these decisions were made.

An aide to then-Chief of Staff Jeff Zients communicated Biden’s decisions, leading to the authorization of the autopen for signing the pardons. The committee expressed concerns over the lack of documentation regarding these clemency decisions. They stated, “The investigation revealed holes in the chain of custody of the president’s decision binder, which contained decision memos to be signed or initialed by President Biden when approving or disapproving executive actions.”

Democrats on the committee countered the allegations, asserting that there is no credible evidence supporting Comer’s claims. Ranking Member Robert Garcia, a Democrat from California, stated, “The testimonies also make it clear the former president authorized every executive order, pardon, and use of the autopen.” He added that Oversight Democrats are focused on a better future for the American people.

The report also claims that Biden’s staff attempted to obscure his condition from the public by using makeup and managing his schedule to limit public appearances. They allegedly relied on teleprompters for speeches and consulted with Hollywood figures for guidance.

Democratic members characterized the investigation into Biden’s health as “sinister,” asserting that the majority has failed to produce credible evidence to support their claims. They believe that the investigation serves partisan interests rather than genuine oversight.

This ongoing political discourse highlights the challenges within the current U.S. administration and the potential implications for the Biden presidency as it navigates scrutiny from both sides of the aisle.