Overview

• Internal emails released on Aug. 19 show Associate Deputy Attorney General Bradley Weinsheimer told the White House the Jan. 17 autopen-signed clemency warrants used vague language that was "highly problematic."
• Weinsheimer urged a list specifying, for each of nearly 2,500 inmates, the exact offenses covered by the commutations to ensure the orders reflected the president's intent.
• He advised officials to stop describing all recipients as "non-violent" offenders, calling the claim "untrue or at least misleading" based on cases already reviewed.
• DOJ reviewers had flagged 19 "highly problematic" cases, at least 16 of whom received clemency, including inmates tied to murders, gang leadership and violent drug trafficking.
• The records were obtained by the Oversight Project and released by U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin's office, as Biden has publicly defended autopen use and said he personally made the clemency decisions.