Neela Tanden, who previously worked closely with President Joe Biden, informed Congress that she was authorized to use an automated signing tool for the president’s signature, although she wasn’t clear on who granted the final approval.
In her testimony to Congress on Tuesday, Tanden, who was the director of Biden’s National Policy Council, revealed that the president utilized this autopap tool to sign official documents, including pardons and memos. However, she admitted to not knowing who permitted the use of this automated signature. According to reports from Fox News:
During a lengthy interview with Congress that spanned over five hours, Tanden explained that she was permitted to oversee the Autopen Signature during her tenure as a senior adviser and secretary to the president from 2021 to 2023, according to a board of supervisor official.
Those familiar with her testimony noted that Tanden had minimal direct interactions with Biden. She described a somewhat convoluted approval process that left her unsure about the specifics of the endorsements she received regarding the use of the automated signing method, despite stating she was in charge.
Reportedly, Tanden indicated that she would send decision notes to key members of Biden’s inner circle to secure approval for utilizing the autopap signature. However, she also mentioned that she was clueless about the actual actions or approvals made after she sent out the decision memo and before she received the necessary approvals.
A member of the Oversight Committee from the minority side referred to Tanden’s comments as misleading, asserting he had documentation showing he received a “written sign-off” from a former White House staffer regarding the executive actions she presented.
“Another key point is the distortion of her testimony,” the official remarked. “It’s misleading for Neela Tanden to imply that President Biden did not approve all of the president’s decisions and sign off on the executive actions issued by the White House.”
Tanden’s attorney, Michael Bromwich, supported the staff’s view, stating that the autopap was only employed after Biden approved the relevant decisions.
“The autopap was used… only after the president has given his approval,” Bromwich clarified. “Aides will not sign these documents on behalf of President Biden.”
