New internal emails reveal Joe Biden did not review thousands of pardons granted in the final days of his presidency.
“[Biden] doesn’t review the warrants,” one of the White House lawyers said.
The New York Post reported:
President Biden’s sweeping clemency grants during his final days in office caused concern inside the West Wing and Justice Department about how to ensure his wishes were accurately implemented — and it’s unclear whether Biden himself was consulted before thousands of pardons were announced, internal emails obtained exclusively by The Post show.
The messages indicate the 46th president orally approved commutations for inmates jailed for crack cocaine offenses on Jan. 11 — but his auto-penned signature wasn’t affixed to three documents listing about 2,500 recipients until the morning of Jan. 17.
The debate over who exactly to include in the mass pardons and how to modify their sentences came to a head late on the night of Jan. 16.
Then-White House Staff Secretary Stef Feldman, a key gatekeeper of the presidential autopen, wrote to West Wing lawyers she needed evidence Biden had consented before she authorized a mechanical signature on one of the most sweeping acts of clemency in American history.
BREAKING: New internal emails reveal Joe Biden’s sweeping pardons sparked concern inside the Biden West Wing & DOJ over whether his wishes were followed. It’s unclear if Joe Biden himself was even consulted before THOUSANDS of pardons went out.https://t.co/on5DeZ8CJO
— Rep. James Comer (@RepJamesComer) September 4, 2025
The Oversight Project broke the story about the Biden autopen scandal wide open after they discovered thousands of acts of clemency and executive actions were signed with an autopen rather than a wet signature.
Earlier this year, the Oversight Project revealed six criminals were pardoned by Biden’s autopen on December 30, 2022, while Joe Biden was vacationing and golfing in St. Croix.
Over the summer it was reported that the White House is investigating the growing Biden autopen scandal.
Hellbound and Down 