Overview

• The House Oversight Committee, led by Chairman James Comer, has launched an investigation into former President Joe Biden’s use of an autopen to sign last-minute presidential pardons.
• The inquiry seeks to determine whether Biden was mentally capable of authorizing the autopen’s use or if senior aides acted independently to issue the pardons.
• Comer claims to have identified staffers involved in operating the autopen and plans to subpoena them if they refuse voluntary transcribed interviews.
• The investigation may also examine potential roles played by Jill Biden and Hunter Biden, with Republicans questioning their influence during Biden’s final months in office.
• Legal experts debate the validity of autopen-signed pardons, particularly blanket clemency grants, as the practice has not been tested in court when applied to pardons.