Overview

• An internal June 2 memo from pardon attorney Ed Martin directs staff to examine clemency Biden granted to five family members and 37 death row inmates.
• The inquiry centers on whether Biden was competent and if others exploited an autopen or other means to execute the pardons.
• There is currently no evidence showing that an autopen was used for the pardons under investigation.
• A 2005 Justice Department memo supports the legitimacy of autopen signatures and Martin has acknowledged such use is not necessarily problematic.
• Opponents argue the investigation is politically charged and amplifies concerns over Biden’s health after his cancer diagnosis.