It seems there’s quite a bit of intrigue surrounding former President Joe Biden’s last-minute pardon, which was reportedly signed using an “autopen.” In a somewhat disjointed interview with special advisor Robert Huar, President Trump commented on the situation last Saturday.
“Anyone involved with the ‘autopen’ is probably looking to create a bigger scandal,” Trump remarked, sharing his thoughts on the matter. He also made a post noting his selection before addressing the “thugs” in the House of Representatives.
Analysis from the Heritage Foundation indicated that several individuals, including former Representative Liz Cheney and Senator Adam Schiff, were recognized as having been part of a blanket pardon on Biden’s final day in office.
On Saturday, Axios released details of Biden’s extensive five-hour interview with Huar, which took place on October 8-9. The discussion seemed tense at times, with Biden mixing up important details about his career and personal life.
“It’s crucial to respond truthfully to our questions,” Huar emphasized at the beginning of their talk.
Biden, then 80, casually mentioned, “I’m young, so that’s not a problem,” as if to shrug off any concerns about his memory.
However, he struggled with dates and names. For instance, he confusingly stated his late son Beau was ‘developed’ or ‘dying’ around 2017, although Beau actually passed away in 2015 due to a brain tumor.
“In that time frame, my son was… uh… unfolding or almost dying…and there were many people encouraging him to run,” he said, seeming to struggle with the narrative.
Biden also misstated the year Trump was first elected, saying “November 2017,” and had trouble recalling names such as the National Archives and even the word “fax machine.”
Assistance from his legal advisor, Bob Bauer, was evident when Biden seemed to falter in his memory.
“I have a library with two filing cabinets built into the wall, and there’s space for a copy machine,” he added, although it wasn’t entirely clear why that was relevant to the conversation.
Huar later determined that Biden had, “willfully” retained classified material in his homes and offices, but decided against pursuing accusations, describing Biden as “a sympathetic and well-meaning older man with poor memories.”
New audio has surfaced showing Biden’s inconsistent explanations about why he shared sensitive files with the ghostwriter of his 2017 memoir, *Promise Me, Dad.*
The matter of Biden’s cognitive abilities was reportedly a significant factor in his political challenges, including the 2020 election defeat.
“It all began with that dirty cop James Comey, and sleepy Joe Biden,” Trump declared, reiterating claims about electoral fraud. “Everyone knows I won the election with millions of votes.”
As for the autopen signatures approved before Biden’s time in office, the exact number is unclear, though it’s known that past presidents, going back to Harry Truman, have used such devices to sign documents.
Trump’s team has since put a stricter autopen policy in place, limiting its use to just two senior aides. There have been suggestions that one of Biden’s aides might have freely utilized the autopen for several signatures before the close of the administration.
