Former President Joe Biden signed only one pardon during the final weeks of his presidency, and it has stirred quite a bit of controversy. Recently, the Justice Department has taken a closer look at this list, especially in light of new worries about the use of an autopen for signatures and the implications for Biden’s mental state as he wrapped up his term.
In his last week in office, Biden presented his administration’s actions as some of the most lenient by a sitting president, granting pardons to over 1,500 individuals. The most debated amnesty was reportedly signed mainly through autopen technology.
Notably, Biden’s final pardon list included family members, Dr. Anthony Fauci, General Mark Milley, and staff associated with the House Committee on the January 6th investigation. However, he chose to sign his son Hunter’s pardon by hand—a decision that some might find striking, particularly since Biden had professed to avoid meddling in the Justice Department’s work for months leading up to his son’s legal issues.
Hunter Biden faced three felony gun charges and was also implicated in significant tax crimes, reportedly failing to pay around $1.4 million in taxes. He surprised many by entering a guilty plea before his trial.
In December 2024, the former president announced a sweeping amnesty covering a range of offenses related to Hunter Biden’s actions from January 1, 2014, to December 1, 2024. Biden acknowledged his attempt to remain uninvolved with the Justice Department but expressed frustration at the treatment of his son, describing the efforts as relentless and politically charged.
Meanwhile, Special Advisor David Weiss criticized Biden’s decision to pardon Hunter, labeling it as “wrong” and attributing to it a sense of mismanagement within the Justice Department. Weiss’s report insists that previous presidents have not used pardons to defame justice officials but rather as a straightforward exercise of presidential authority.
Biden’s decision has drawn further scrutiny, particularly from former President Donald Trump, who has directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate the motives behind Biden’s pardons, particularly concerning the autopen. There are escalating allegations claiming Biden’s aides have used this technology not solely for convenience but as a means to divert attention from his cognitive decline.
Trump pointed out that the president’s signature carries immense weight, holding the power to affect legislation, appointments, and the release of prisoners. He framed the alleged use of autopen as a significant threat to the integrity of the presidency, asserting that it amounts to one of the gravest scandals in American history.
According to Trump, concerns about Biden’s mental fitness have been longstanding, suggesting that those closest to him were aware of these issues and took measures to limit his public exposure. This atmosphere, he argues, has far-reaching implications for public trust in the presidency itself.
