The White House Counsel’s Office has launched a sweeping internal review into the former Biden administration’s use of the autopen to authorize official documents — a process that may have been used for more than one million executive actions without the former president’s direct review or signature.
According to Fox News, the investigation was initiated to determine the extent to which the autopen — a mechanical device used to reproduce a signature — was employed by President Joe Biden and his staff, and whether it was done with his explicit approval. The review reportedly involves tens of thousands of documents already turned over by the National Archives, with White House officials estimating that over one million may eventually come under scrutiny.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt did not mince words in a statement to the outlet.
“Joe Biden was the worst, most incompetent, and senile president in our country’s history,” Leavitt said. “It has been widely reported that Joe Biden handed the power of the presidency to an autopen controlled by unelected leftist staffers, who were allowed to make terrible decisions that destroyed our country.”
Leavitt further stated that the current administration is “committed to finding the answers to the many outstanding questions the American people still have about how business in the Biden White House was conducted.”
Questions Surround Presidential Pardons
Concerns over the autopen process intensified after revelations that, in his final days in office, Biden issued mass clemency and pardons using the autopen — without reportedly reviewing or approving the final list of recipients.
In an interview with The New York Times, Biden defended the approach, saying he had instructed staff to prepare pardons for convicts who met broad criteria, such as low-level drug offenses. However, it was later revealed that his aides compiled the final list and executed the clemency orders using the autopen, allegedly without Biden’s final sign-off.
“We’re talking about a whole lot of people,” Biden told The Times, justifying the expedited process. “I made every decision.”
Still, the revelation raised questions about oversight and transparency, particularly regarding presidential authority and accountability.
Transparency and Oversight in Focus
One official involved in the current White House review told Fox News that the goal is to determine, document by document, what Biden actually directed versus what was approved without his knowledge.
“The only time a legitimate use of the autopen should happen is if the president said he wanted something done, or if he was asked for his approval,” the official explained.
The White House Counsel’s Office is reportedly working in coordination with the Department of Justice, which is running its own investigation. Additionally, the House Oversight Committee is conducting a parallel inquiry, led by Republicans who have long questioned Biden’s fitness for office and the degree to which he was actively governing — especially in his final months.
Legal and Constitutional Implications
The use of the autopen for presidential signatures is not inherently illegal. In 2005, the Department of Justice ruled it constitutional for a president to use an autopen for signing legislation — provided the president had authorized its use. However, the scale and lack of transparency alleged in this case raise concerns over abuse of executive power.
Critics argue that if Biden’s staff used the autopen to enact sweeping policy decisions, grant clemency, or sign off on critical appointments without direct presidential review, it may constitute a breach of constitutional norms, and possibly law.
The results of the internal review could have far-reaching implications for how future administrations document presidential actions — and for how the public perceives the legitimacy of decisions made under a president’s name.
As more information becomes available, the Biden autopen probe may prove to be one of the most consequential post-presidency investigations in modern history, further fueling debate over the 46th president’s competence, transparency, and the role of unelected staffers in shaping national policy.
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Sweet Karoline . Have at it!
Something DEFINITELY needs to be done about the all those pardons issued to criminals who had committed horrendous rimes AND
WE also want to know if Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination to the supreme Court was signed by Auto Pen and IF Biden even knew about it.
This throws a massive light on just how not in charge he was. Some of the people behind the scenes could likely be Communists and pushed the agenda to one of their choosing. If the Democratic Party can’t find candidates for the Presidency of any other office who have the ability to be responsible for their office, then they should be avoided by voters, who selected a president who was permanently absent from his position.