A Senior Justice Department Official Investigating Biden’s Clemency Actions
A high-ranking official in the Justice Department under former President Donald Trump has been instructed to investigate the clemency decisions made by President Joe Biden during the final days of his presidency. The investigation focuses on clemency granted to Biden’s family members and death row inmates, questioning Biden’s competence and the use of an autopen to sign documents.
An autopen is a device used to automatically sign documents on behalf of an individual.
Trump and his supporters have raised concerns about Biden’s use of the autopen, suggesting that it may have impacted the validity of his actions. However, it is unclear whether Biden used the autopen for pardons.
The investigation is specifically looking into preemptive pardons granted by Biden to family members and clemency provided to 37 federal inmates who were on death row, converting their sentences to life in prison.
Before leaving office, Biden pardoned five of his family members, including his siblings and their spouses, as well as his son Hunter Biden. The pardons were issued to protect them from potential politically motivated investigations.
The investigation, led by the Justice Department’s pardon attorney Ed Martin, does not specify which pardons are being scrutinized or who directed the investigation. Both the Justice Department and Biden’s team have not provided immediate comments on the matter.
The US Constitution grants the president broad powers to issue pardons and commutations to modify sentences. Trump, during his presidency, also extensively used executive clemency.
The investigation’s focus on Biden’s health and mental acuity has intensified in recent weeks, following his cancer diagnosis and concerns raised in a new book about his condition. Despite being the oldest president, Biden’s aides have affirmed his capability to make important decisions.
There is no evidence to suggest that Biden did not intend to issue the pardons, and a 2005 Justice Department memo deemed the use of an autopen for the president’s signature as legitimate.
