Trump admin investigates Biden pardons for family and inmates
In a sharp political move, US President Donald Trump's Justice Department is investigating pardons issued by former President Joe Biden, including those granted to family members and death row inmates.According to an internal email seen by Reuters, Ed Martin, the department's pardon attorney, told staff he had been 'directed to investigate' whether Biden was 'competent and whether others were taking advantage of him through use of AutoPen or other means.'advertisementAn AutoPen, for the uninitiated, is a mechanical device that can mimic a person's signature — a tool Biden reportedly used in office, much to the skepticism of Trump and his allies who've long argued it delegitimizes presidential decisions.
While there's no evidence Biden used an AutoPen for the pardons, Martin's probe is centered on two main categories:Preemptive pardons Biden issued to five family members.Commutations for 37 federal inmates, who were spared the death penalty in favor of life imprisonment.Just days before he left office on Jan. 20, Biden pardoned his siblings—James Biden, Frank Biden, and Valerie Biden Owens—as well as their spouses. His son, Hunter Biden, received a pardon on Dec. 1 after pleading guilty to tax violations and facing gun-related convictions.Martin did not specify who ordered the probe, or which specific pardons are under scrutiny.advertisementThe U.S. Constitution gives presidents 'plenary' or absolute power to issue pardons—a point Martin himself acknowledged at a May 13 press conference:'If you use the autopen for pardon power, I don't think that that's necessarily a problem,' he said, adding, 'But I still felt the Biden pardons warranted scrutiny.'Critics argue the investigation has political undertones. It comes as Biden's health and mental acuity are increasingly questioned following a cancer diagnosis and revelations in a new book about internal Democratic concerns during his final year in office.The 82-year-old Biden dropped his 2024 reelection bid after a poor debate performance raised fresh doubts about his stamina and decision-making. A 2005 Justice Department memo even supports the legitimacy of autopen signatures for presidential action.Ironically, Trump himself is no stranger to clemency. On his return to office in January, he pardoned nearly 1,600 supporters facing charges related to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, a violent attempt to block Biden's 2020 electoral victory certification.Tune InMust Watch
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