Former President Joe Biden admitted in a New York Times interview that “assistants” were responsible for notifying the autopen manager as to who should receive a pardon or commutation. Biden merely signed off on broad “standards” for most acts of clemency.
“[T]he only things that really we read off names for were, for example, you know, was I, what was I going to do about, for example, Mark Milley?” Biden told the newspaper. For the most part, names were filled in by the Bureau of Prisons, and autopen use was managed by aides based on meeting notes and summaries. However, Biden defended this practice, claiming full awareness of each decision.
“I made every decision,” Biden said in a phone interview with the NYT. “We’re talking about a whole lot of people.” He accused President Trump and Republicans of lying, and suggested his actions with respect to figures like Milley and Dr. Anthony Fauci were a precaution against Trump being “vindictive” in office.
Biden authorized 25 high-profile pardons, nearly 4,000 commutations, and spared all but three death row inmates. However, the sole warrant he signed personally was for his son, Hunter Biden.
Republicans, led by House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-KY) and Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI), are investigating whether Biden’s mental decline allowed his aides to hijack the clemency process.
Some former aides have invoked the Fifth Amendment or retained legal counsel in response to the investigation.
Hellbound and Down 