Biden breakdown: Where investigations into the former president stand
Former President Joe Biden left office in January, but questions about his mental acuity and decline while in office continue to mount amid the release of audio of his interview with former Special Counsel Robert Hur and his cancer diagnosis, drawing attention to a number of actions taken in his final days in office and beyond.
Biden Struggles With Words, Key Memories In Leaked Audio From Special Counsel Hur Interview
Here's a look at the known, active investigations into the former president and his team:
Former President Joe Biden used his final weeks as commander-in-chief to grant clemency and pardon more than 1,500 individuals, in what the White House described at the time as the largest single-day act of clemency by a U.S. president.
The Justice Department is reviewing the list of people that were granted pardons by former President Joe Biden, amid concerns about his use of an AutoPen to automatically sign documents.
DOJ Pardon Attorney Ed Martin is reviewing the list of Biden-era pardons granted during the former president's final weeks in office, including the one granted to his son, Hunter Biden, and the preemptive pardons granted to Dr. Anthony Fauci, Gen. Mark Milley, Biden family members, and members of the House Committee investigating Jan. 6.
Read On The Fox News App
Biden Only Hand-signed One Pardon During Final Spree, And It Was His Most Controversial One
But Biden only signed one pardon by hand during his final weeks in office—and it was his most controversial one—for his son, Hunter Biden.
Biden pardoned his son Hunter in December 2024 after vowing to the American people for months he would not do so.
Hunter Biden was found guilty of three felony gun offenses during special counsel David Weiss' investigation. The first son was also charged with federal tax crimes over his alleged failure to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes.
Before his trial, Hunter Biden entered a surprise guilty plea.
Former President Biden in December 2024 announced a blanket pardon that applies to any offenses against the U.S. that Hunter Biden "has committed or may have committed" from Jan. 1, 2014, to Dec. 1, 2024.
"From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department's decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted," the former president said.
Here Are Biden's Most Controversial Pardons, Mainly Signed Using Autopen
"There has been an effort to break Hunter — who has been five and a half years sober, even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution. In trying to break Hunter, they've tried to break me — and there's no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough.
"I hope Americans will understand why a father and a president would come to this decision."
The House Oversight Committee, led by Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., is leading an investigation into an alleged cover-up of Biden's mental decline.
The investigation, specifically, is into whether those inside Biden's inner-circle knowingly colluded to hide the former president's declining mental acuity and used methods to circumvent the former president when it came to the issuance of important orders, particularly through the use of an autopen tool used to mimic the president's signature.
House Gop Secures Four Key Witnesses In Biden Mental-decline Probe As Former Aides Agree To Talk
So far, four former Biden aides have agreed to voluntarily testify for transcribed interviews, including the director of Biden's former Domestic Policy Council, Neera Tanden, Biden's assistant and senior advisor to the first lady, Anthony Bernal, former special assistant to Biden and Deputy Director of Oval Office Operations, Ashley Williams, and Biden's Deputy Chief of Staff, Annie Tomasini.
Tanden will appear before the House Oversight Committee on June 24, Bernal two days later on June 26, while Williams will testify July 11 and Tomasini on July 18.
Lone Biden Official Breaks Silence On Cognitive Decline As Cabinet Stays Mute
But Biden's former White House doctor, Kevin O'Connor declined an invitation to sit for a transcribed interview scheduled for June 27.
Comer subpoenaed O'Connor to compel that testimony.
Comer sent letters to five more top former Biden staffers, putting his total outreach in the investigation to 10 people so far.
The latest round of letters are being sent to former White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain, former senior communications advisor Anita Dunn, former top advisors Michael Donilon and Steve Ricchetti, and former Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Bruce Reed.
Former President Joe Biden was diagnosed with an "aggressive form" of prostate cancer in May.
"Last week, President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms," Biden's team shared in a statement. "On Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone."
"While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management. The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians," the statement said.
Joe Biden Diagnosed With 'Aggressive Form' Of Prostate Cancer With Metastasis To The Bone
During his presidency, Biden had a "cancerous" skin lesion removed from his chest, the White House said at the time.
Biden, during a 2022 speech discussing pollution in his home state, said: "That's why I and so damn many other people I grew up (with) have cancer."
But House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer has expanded his investigation into Biden's mental decline to include an investigation into the timeline of when Biden learned he had cancer.
Biden's White House Physician Subpoenaed As Republicans Dig Deeper Into Alleged Cognitive Decline Cover-up
"If you'll remember, Joe Biden did an interview several years ago and said he had cancer. The White House quickly issued a statement saying, oh, he misspoke," Comer said during an appearance on Fox Business' "Mornings with Maria." "Now, how many people do you know in the history of the world that have misspoke saying they had cancer when they really didn't?"
Comer added: "So there's evidence out there that would suggest that there's been a cover-up with respect to his cancer for many years, just based on Joe Biden's own words."
Comer has subpoenaed O'Connor, the former White House physician who gave Biden several clean bills of health.
Fox News' Alec Schemmel and Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report. Original article source: Biden breakdown: Where investigations into the former president stand
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
22 minutes ago
- The Hill
Trump's immigration clampdown could affect these 5 industries the most
As President Trump enforces his election promise to clamp down on immigration, he is coming good on his mandate: 'On day one, I will launch the largest deportation programme of criminals in the history of America.' Once in office, Trump began to also target criminals and migrant workers, as well as students and tourists with visa issues. White House officials have said they hope ICE can make 3,000 arrests a day. That's up from around 660 per day they made during the first 100 days of Trump's presidency. Though an independent watchdog project at Syracuse University, The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, says that of the 51,302 people in ICE detention facilities as of the start of June, about 44% had no criminal record, apart from entering the country without permission. There have been two notable effects of Trump's clampdowns: one is that recent immigration crackdowns are causing widespread alarm which are seeing play out in protests in LA, for example. The second effect is that because people are being taken from the workforce, this has resulted in its own set of consequences. Aligned with that is a wider concern around the U.S.' ability to remain competitive in terms of innovation. There is a growing concern within the tech community around global competitiveness in the face of a potentially restricted workforce. Dmitry Litvinov is the CEO and founder of Dreem, a platform supporting tech immigration. He says that tech immigration to the U.S. has become incredibly challenging, and that this has the potential to significantly affect the U.S. AI landscape. 'As a relatively new field, AI faces unique challenges in proving applicants' eligibility and expertise for immigration,' Litvinov says. 'Even in established fields like physics, demonstrating outstanding qualifications is difficult—AI is far more complex.' He also points out that the U.S' loss could benefit its competitors. 'Restrictive policies are driving talent to other AI hubs, strengthening rival nations and weakening U.S. innovation. Applicants report they are increasingly considering alternative AI hubs like Canada, the UK, the UAE, or even China, where immigration processes are faster and more welcoming.' According to a recent study by Brooks Law Firm, the American workforce is being reshaped. It analyzed key U.S. industries to identify and rank the ones most vulnerable to labor disruption under potential Trump-era immigration enforcement policies. Using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the U.S. Census Bureau, the firm has created a list of the industries it says may be the most affected by new immigration laws. Reflecting the concerns of the tech sector, it says the information industry will be the most affected by the latest Trump immigration laws, with 416K immigrant workers currently in the workforce. While this represents just 1.4% of its total workforce, because it is the second-fastest growing industry, the fear is this growth can be stymied by a reduced talent pipeline. Educational and health services rank as the second with the most to lose. That's because this is an industry with the largest share of immigrant workers at 18.4%. Effectively, this accounts to about 183,500 industry workers with the potential to be removed from the workforce. In third place is the professional and business sector. Professional and business services employ the second-largest proportion of immigrant workers at 15.8%. Now, because of the latest Trump laws, over 157,600 workers could leave the industry. Public administration comes fourth. Currently, 765,000 immigrant workers are employed in public administration. The study points out that because this industry has the slowest growth rate at 0.1%, this means that recovery from worker loss can take a longer time than for other industries. In fifth place is the leisure and hospitality industry. This is an industry with a large share of immigrant workers, employing more than three million people from other countries. As a result, it has the potential to shed 101,700 workers. Other industries are vulnerable too. The financial sector employs 5.4% immigrants, and due to a slow growth rate of 0.4%, the loss of these workers could take a long time to recover from. In transportation and utilities, more than 2.1 million workers employed in the sector are immigrants, and in the wholesale and retail trade sector, three million immigrant workers are employed. Ready to find a new role? Browse thousands of jobs on The Hill Job Board
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump spikes NW salmon agreement
Jun. 13—President Donald Trump is killing the sweeping agreement that pledged significant investments in salmon recovery and could have paved the way for breaching the four lower Snake River dams. In a presidential memorandum issued Thursday, Trump directed members of his cabinet to withdraw from a legal agreement between the Biden administration on one side and Columbia River Basin tribes and conservation groups on the other. That pact exchanged a pause in fish-versus-dams litigation for investments in salmon recovery, tribal renewable energy projects and studies on the best way to replace the hydropower, irrigation and commodity transportation made possible by the dams. While the agreement stopped short of sanctioning dam breaching, it was designed to lay the groundwork for the move. Trump titled his memo "Stopping Radical Environmentalism to Generate Power for the Columbia River Basin." "My Administration is committed to protecting the American people from radical green agenda policies that make their lives more expensive, and to maximizing the beneficial uses of our existing energy infrastructure and natural resources to generate energy and lower the cost of living," Trump said in the memo. He also rescinded Biden's executive order issued in September of 2023 that called for a "sustained national effort" to honor treaty commitments to the Nez Perce and other tribes by restoring Snake and Columbia river salmon and steelhead to healthy and abundant levels. Shannon Wheeler, chairperson of the Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee, said the move erases significant progress on the effort to save salmon and steelhead from extinction. The fish are central to tribal culture and economies throughout the basin and are cherished by many nontribal people as well. The nutrients they return from the ocean are viewed as important to inland aquatic ecosystems and the decline of chinook salmon in particular has been tied to the problems faced by endangered southern resident killer whales in Puget Sound. "This action tries to hide from the truth. The Nez Perce Tribe holds a duty to speak the truth for the salmon, and the truth is that extinction of salmon populations is happening now," Wheeler said in a news release. "People across the Northwest know this, and people across the nation have supported us in a vision for preventing salmon extinction that would, at the same time, create a stronger and better future for the Northwest." The deal between Biden and salmon advocates was expected to bring more than $1 billion in federal investments to help recover wild fish in the Snake and Columbia rivers and to help tribes develop renewable energy projects. The output from the energy projects would have been devoted to replacing power generated at the four lower Snake River dams. But the agreement was viewed by dam proponents as an unfair pact for which they had little input and one that threatened to upend river transportation and hydropower production. Dam supporters like Kurt Miller, executive director of the Northwest Public Power Association, cheered the move. A news release from his organization said keeping the dams "provides a lifeline for the Northwest's clean energy economy and its most vulnerable families." Miller and others claim the agreement was one-sided.
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Who is organizing 'No Kings' day protests? See Florida locations, what to expect
The number of planned "No Kings" protests across Florida and the United States is growing. The events are scheduled to take place Saturday, June 14, and coincide with Flag Day, President Trump's 79th birthday and the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary celebration and military parade taking place in Washington, D.C. About 2,000 protests and rallies have registered at the website across the US, with more than 80 in Florida. The "No Kings" day protests were planned before riots erupted in Los Angeles over immigration enforcement raids. Trump called in the California National Guard and a few days later ordered Marines to the city. California Gov. Gavin Newsom filed a lawsuit over the president's move to deploy members of the Guard without Newsom's authorization. ➤ Live updates: Court sides with Trump over control of National Guard in California Here's who is organizing the events, the purpose behind them and how to stay safe if you'll be attending or be in the area. "'No Kings' is expected to be the largest single-day mobilization since Trump returned to office — a mass, nationwide protest rejecting authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics, and the militarization of our democracy," according to "They've defied our courts, deported Americans, disappeared people off the streets, attacked our civil rights, and slashed our services. The corruption has gone too. far. No thrones. No crowns. No kings. "We're standing together against the abuses of power, cruelty, and corruption. On June 14, we gather to remind President Trump and his enablers: America has No King! "The 'No Kings' theme was orchestrated by the 50501 Movement, a national movement made up of everyday Americans who stand for democracy and against what they call the authoritarian actions of the Trump administration," according to the Associated Press. "The name 50501 stands for 50 states, 50 protests, one movement." Another event organizer is Indivisible, which calls itself "a grassroots movement of thousands of local Indivisible groups with a mission to elect progressive leaders, rebuild our democracy, and defeat the Trump agenda." Formed in 2016, Indivisible said it "rejects all forms of political violence and intimidation, no matter the source or the target." "I think we will see the largest peaceful single day protests that this country has seen certainly since the first Trump term," said Indivisible cofounder Ezra Levin, one of the organizers. Levin previously served as associate director of federal policy for Prosperity Now. According to the No Kings website, more than 80 protests (including several in some cities) are planned across Florida as of June 13, including a No Kings Caravan March to Mar a Lago and Meyer Rally near Trump's residence in West Palm Beach. ➤ Find an event near you Organizers were urged to "prioritize landmarks or other public sites with high-visibility, like state capitols or city halls, major parks, or in other high traffic outdoor areas in your community." Authorities are urging both protesters and residents to stay informed and prioritize safety. "All No Kings events adhere to a shared commitment to nonviolent protest and community safety. Organizers are trained in de-escalation and are working closely with local partners to ensure peaceful and powerful actions nationwide," said. ➤ Protesting on 'No Kings Day'? Here's how you can stay safe and protect your rights Among the items experts at Physicians for Human Rights suggest bringing are: Backpack, fanny pack to keep your hands free Face mask or bandanna to shield your eyes from pepper spray or tear gas Water Avoid wearing contact lenses, which can trap irritating chemicals Comfortable clothes and closed shoes. Cover as much skin as possible and consider bringing a spare set of clothes Identification, contact information According to the ACLU of Florida, the First Amendment generally prohibits restrictions based on speech content. However, this does not mean the Constitution completely protects all types of speech in every circumstance. "For example, threatening someone with violence is not protected," the organization writes on its website. "Additionally, government officials are allowed to place certain reasonable, nondiscriminatory, and narrowly drawn 'time, place, and manner' restrictions on the exercise of First Amendment rights." Florida Statutes 871.015 state that a person may not "knowingly engage in protest activities or knowingly cause protest activities to occur within 500 feet of the property line of a residence, cemetery, funeral home, house of worship, or other location during or within 1 hour before or 1 hour after the conducting of a funeral or burial at that place." Contributing: Sarah D. Wire, USA Today This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: No Kings day organizers, Florida locations. Violence expected?
