Overview

• The Justice Department is examining former President Biden’s use of an autopen to sign more than 1,500 clemency orders during his final weeks in office.
• Prosecutors will assess Biden’s mental competence and whether aides exploited the device, with particular attention to preemptive pardons for Hunter Biden, James Biden and Valerie Biden Owens.
• House Republicans argue the autopen may have permitted unauthorized signatures, leading to an ongoing impeachment inquiry and legislation for a select committee to investigate a purported cover-up.
• A 2005 Justice Department memo and constitutional experts agree that pardons remain valid regardless of signature method and cannot be overturned.
• The Senate Judiciary Committee will convene a June 18 hearing to probe allegations that health concerns were concealed and that the autopen usage masked a decline in Biden’s capacity.