Biden Defends Actions Amid Controversy Over Pardons
Former President Biden addressed Congressional Republicans regarding his assertions about acting independently when it came to granting President Trump and GOP members pardons and the use of an autopen for signatures.
“They’re liars. They know that,” Biden stated in a recent interview with the New York Times, responding to claims suggesting he was unaware of decisions made in his final days in office.
“I’ve encountered all of those individuals personally,” he continued.
In his last days as president, Biden issued three commutations aimed at preventing the return of individuals to prison due to the community pandemic, reducing sentences for many non-violent drug offenders, and addressing death sentences for 37 out of 40 inmates on death row.
One of the more contentious moves was the preemptive pardons given to several high-profile conservative figures, including family members, former White House COVID advisor Anthony Fauci, and former Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark Milley.
“There were numerous individuals involved, and they utilized an autopen to affix signatures,” Biden remarked to the Times.
“Autopens are legal. Other presidents have used them, Trump included. But the key point here is the number of people involved,” he explained.
Biden criticized Republicans for using the autopen issue as a diversion tactic. “They’ve consistently lied about nearly everything. The best strategy for them seems to be shifting attention, and I believe this is another instance of that,” he said.
Both the Department of Justice and the GOP-led House Oversight Committee are investigating Biden’s autopen usage.
In recent deposition testimony, Biden’s White House physician, Kevin O’Connor, declined to answer questions posed by the oversight panel.
Committee Chairman James Comer indicated the inquiries were being obstructed and commented on O’Connor’s avoidance. “It seems there’s a conspiracy to conceal President Biden’s cognitive decline,” he claimed, noting O’Connor’s reliance on the Fifth Amendment.
In early June, Trump called for an investigation into Biden’s actions while in office, raising concerns about his cognitive abilities during the latter part of his presidency.
Trump’s inquiry specifically referenced Biden’s appointment of over 200 judges, the issuance of numerous pardons, and the release of more than 1,000 presidential documents during his time in office.
Biden firmly rejected these allegations with a clear stance, asserting, “Let’s be clear. We made informed decisions throughout the presidency. We took actions on pardons, executive orders, legislation, and declarations.”
