Latest news with #BidenPardons
CBC
20 hours ago
- Business
- CBC
Trump orders a review of Biden White House, citing political rival's 'cognitive decline'
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday directed his administration to investigate Joe Biden's actions as president, alleging aides masked his predecessor's "cognitive decline" and casting doubts on the legitimacy of his use of the autopen to sign pardons and other documents. The order marked a significant escalation in Trump's targeting of political adversaries and could lay the groundwork for arguments by the Republican that a range of Biden's actions as president were invalid. Biden responded in a statement Wednesday night: "Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didn't is ridiculous and false." The Justice Department under Democratic and Republican administrations has recognized the use of an autopen to sign legislation and issue pardons for decades, Trump presented no evidence that Biden was unaware of the actions taken in his name, and the president's absolute pardon power is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. "The American public was purposefully shielded from discovering who wielded the executive power, all while Biden's signature was deployed across thousands of documents to effect radical policy shifts," Trump wrote in memo. Trump directed Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House counsel David Warrington to handle the investigation. Questions 'validity' of Biden decisions, signatures It's unclear how far Trump will push this effort, which would face certain legal challenges. But it reflects his fixation on Biden, who defeated him in 2020, an election that Trump never conceded and continues to falsely claim was rigged against him. This week the president amplified a wild conspiracy theory that Biden died in 2020 and was replaced by a robotic clone. Trump frequently suggests that Biden was wrong to use an autopen, a mechanical device that replicates a person's authentic signature. Although they've been used in the White House for decades, Trump claims that Biden's aides were usurping presidential authority, with the memo questioning "the validity of … resulting Presidential policy decisions." WATCH l Explaining White House-driven autopen controversy: Can Trump really revoke Biden's pardons? | About That 3 months ago Duration 11:10 Biden issued pardons for his two brothers and his sister shortly before leaving office, hoping to shield them from potential prosecution under Trump, who had promised retribution during last year's campaign. Other pardon recipients included members of a congressional committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, which included two Republicans now maligned by Trump. Trump, indicted in four separate criminal matters until three of those cases fell away in the wake of his November election win, spent considerable time railing on the campaign trail about a justice system he said was weaponized against Republicans, even as Democrats pointed out that members of their own party suspected of criminal wrongdoing had been investigated by the Justice Department of Biden's presidency. But now it is Trump who is suggesting that several political rivals should be investigated. He has directed investigations of Chris Krebs, a former cybersecurity official who disputed Trump's claims of a stolen election in 2020, and Miles Taylor, a former Department of Homeland Security official who wrote an anonymous op-ed sharply critical of the president in 2018. As well, the Trump administration has said it will look into the intent of an Instagram post made by former FBI director James Comey, fired in 2017 by Trump, as well as investigate former Democratic governor Andrew Cuomo of New York for possible criminal wrongdoing over statements he's made about COVID-19 deaths in the state's nursing homes. Republicans could subpoena Biden White House staff Meanwhile, James Comer of Kentucky, the Republican chair of the House oversight committee, requested transcribed interviews with five Biden aides, alleging they had participated in a "cover-up" that amounted to "one of the greatest scandals in our nation's history." Interviews were requested with White House senior advisers Mike Donilon and Anita Dunn, former White House chief of staff Ron Klain, former deputy chief of staff Bruce Reed and Steve Ricchetti, a former counselor to the president. "They must appear before the House oversight committee and provide truthful answers about President Biden's cognitive state and who was calling the shots," said Comer, who led efforts to impeach Biden in the past two years that were mocked by Democrats as lacking a factual basis. Comer also reiterated his call for Biden's physician, Kevin O'Connor, and former senior White House aides Annie Tomasini, Anthony Bernal, Ashley Williams and Neera Tanden to appear before the committee. He warned subpoenas would be issued this week if they refuse to schedule voluntary interviews. Republicans on the committee are eager to pursue the investigation. "The American people didn't elect a bureaucracy to run the country," said Rep. Brandon Gill, a freshman Republican from Texas. "I think that the American people deserve to know the truth, and they want to know the truth of what happened." The Republican congressional inquiry so far has focused on the final executive actions of Biden's administration, which included the issuing of new federal rules and presidential pardons that they claim may be invalid. Comer cited the book Original Sin by CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios's Alex Thompson, which details concerns and debates inside the White House and Democratic Party over Biden's mental state and age. In the book, Tapper and Thompson wrote, "Five people were running the country, and Joe Biden was at best a senior member of the board." Biden and members of his family have vigorously denied the book's claims. "This book is political fairy smut for the permanent, professional chattering class," said Naomi Biden, the former president's granddaughter. Biden withdrew from the presidential race last summer after a debate against Trump in which he appeared to lose his train of thought multiple times, muttered inaudible answers and misnamed different government programs. The disastrous debate performance pushed questions about his age and mental acuity to the forefront, ultimately leading Biden to withdraw from the presidential race. He was replaced on the ticket by Kamala Harris, who lost the election to Trump.
Asharq Al-Awsat
a day ago
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Trump Orders Investigation into Biden's Actions as President, Ratcheting Up Targeting of Predecessor
President Donald Trump on Wednesday directed his administration to investigate Joe Biden's actions as president, alleging aides masked his predecessor's 'cognitive decline' and casting doubts on the legitimacy of his use of the autopen to sign pardons and other documents. The order marked a significant escalation in Trump's targeting of political adversaries and could lay the groundwork for arguments by the Republican that a range of Biden's actions as president were invalid. Biden responded in a statement Wednesday night: 'Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didn't is ridiculous and false.' The Justice Department under Democratic and Republican administrations has recognized the use of an autopen to sign legislation and issue pardons for decades, Trump presented no evidence that Biden was unaware of the actions taken in his name, and the president's absolute pardon power is enshrined in the US Constitution. 'This conspiracy marks one of the most dangerous and concerning scandals in American history,' Trump wrote in a memo. 'The American public was purposefully shielded from discovering who wielded the executive power, all while Biden's signature was deployed across thousands of documents to effect radical policy shifts.' Trump directed Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House counsel David Warrington to handle the investigation. It's unclear how far Trump will push this effort, which would face certain legal challenges. But it reflects his fixation on Biden, who defeated him in 2020, an election that Trump never conceded and continues to falsely claim was rigged against him. Trump frequently suggests that Biden was wrong to use an autopen, a mechanical device that replicates a person's authentic signature. Although they've been used in the White House for decades, Trump claims that Biden's aides were usurping presidential authority. Biden issued pardons for his two brothers and his sister shortly before leaving office, hoping to shield them from potential prosecution under Trump, who had promised retribution during last year's campaign. Other pardon recipients included members of a congressional committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol. Trump often suggests that his political opponents should be investigated, and he has directed the Justice Department to look into people who have angered him over the years. They include Chris Krebs, a former cybersecurity official who disputed Trump's claims of a stolen election in 2020, and Miles Taylor, a former Department of Homeland Security official who wrote an anonymous op-ed sharply critical of the president in 2018. Meanwhile, House Oversight Chairman James Comer of Kentucky, a Republican, requested transcribed interviews with five Biden aides, alleging they had participated in a 'cover-up' that amounted to 'one of the greatest scandals in our nation's history.' 'These five former senior advisors were eyewitnesses to President Biden's condition and operations within the Biden White House,' Comer said in a statement. 'They must appear before the House Oversight Committee and provide truthful answers about President Biden's cognitive state and who was calling the shots.' Interviews were requested with White House senior advisers Mike Donilon and Anita Dunn, former White House chief of staff Ron Klain, former deputy chief of staff Bruce Reed and Steve Ricchetti, a former counselor to the president. Comer reiterated his call for Biden's physician, Kevin O'Connor, and former senior White House aides Annie Tomasini, Anthony Bernal, Ashley Williams and Neera Tanden to appear before the committee. He warned subpoenas would be issued this week if they refuse to schedule voluntary interviews. 'I think that people will start coming in the next two weeks,' Comer told reporters. He added that the committee would release a report with its findings, 'and we'll release the transcribed interviews, so it'll be very transparent.' Democrats have dismissed the effort as a distraction. 'Chairman Comer had his big shot in the last Congress to impeach Joe Biden and it was, of course, a spectacular flop,' said Rep. Jamie Raskin, the Maryland Democrat who served as the ranking member on the oversight committee in the previous Congress. 'And now he's just living off of a spent dream. It's over. And he should give up the whole thing.' Republicans on the committee are eager to pursue the investigation. 'The American people didn't elect a bureaucracy to run the country,' said Rep. Brandon Gill, a freshman Republican from Texas. 'I think that the American people deserve to know the truth and they want to know the truth of what happened.' The Republican inquiry so far has focused on the final executive actions of Biden's administration, which included the issuing of new federal rules and presidential pardons that they claim may be invalid. Comer cited the book 'Original Sin' by CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios' Alex Thompson, which details concerns and debates inside the White House and Democratic Party over Biden's mental state and age. In the book, Tapper and Thompson wrote, 'Five people were running the country, and Joe Biden was at best a senior member of the board.' Biden and members of his family have vigorously denied the book's claims. 'This book is political fairy smut for the permanent, professional chattering class,' said Naomi Biden, the former president's granddaughter. Biden withdrew from the presidential race last summer after a debate against Trump in which he appeared to lose his train of thought multiple times, muttered inaudible answers and misnamed different government programs. The disastrous debate performance pushed questions about his age and mental acuity to the forefront, ultimately leading Biden to withdraw from the presidential race. He was replaced on the ticket by Kamala Harris, who lost the election to Trump.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Trump opens bombshell investigation into whether Joe Biden was mentally competent when he signed pardons
Donald Trump has opened an investigation into whether Joe Biden 'was competent ' when he used an autopen to issue pardons to family members and death row inmates. Ed Martin - Trump's ultra-MAGA pardon attorney - said the Justice Department has been directed to investigate clemency granted by Biden in the waning days of his presidency, including the December pardon of his troubled son Hunter. Martin's unprecedented probe was revealed in a Monday email to staffers that was obtained by Reuters. The attorney said the investigation involves whether Biden 'was competent and whether others were taking advantage of him through use of autopen or other means.' An autopen is a device used to automatically affix a signature to a document. Hunter Biden, who was convicted last year of three felonies over an illegal gun, and the former First Lady Jill Biden have been accused of wielding significant power over the president in his final days. The prodigal son was treated 'like a chief of staff' despite being 'provably, demonstrably unethical, sleazy and prone to horrible decisions,' CNN's Jake Tapper said in a recent interview about the behind-the-scenes health cover-up. Trump and his supporters have made a variety of claims that Biden's use of autopen invalidated his actions because he was unaware of the orders he was signing. It is not known whether Biden used an autopen for pardons. In March, Trump declared his predecessor's last-minute pardons 'void, vacant and of no further force or effect.' He also warned that members of the House committee investigating the January 6 riots could now face prosecution. The email stated that Martin's investigation is focused on preemptive pardons Biden issued to several members of his family and clemency that spared 37 federal inmates from the death penalty, converting their sentences to life in prison. Just before he relinquished the presidency to Trump on January 20, Biden pardoned five members of his family, saying he wanted to protect them from future politically motivated investigations. The pardons went to Biden's siblings James Biden, Frank Biden and Valerie Biden Owens as well as their spouses, John Owens and Sara Biden. Biden on December 1 pardoned his son Hunter Biden, who had pleaded guilty to tax violations and was convicted on firearms-related charges. Hunter faced up to 25 years in prison for the offenses, although was expected to receive a much lighter punishment as his first offense. He had a scheduled sentencing date for the charges, but the pardon rendered that court date moot. Martin's email did not specify which of the Biden family members pardons were being investigated. It also did not make clear who directed Martin to launch the investigation. has reached out to the White House and the Department of Justice for comment. The Constitution gives the president broad power to issue pardons to wipe away federal criminal convictions or commutations to modify sentences. Trump himself has made extensive use of executive clemency. For instance, he granted clemency on January 20 to all of the nearly 1,600 of his supporters who faced criminal charges in connection with January 6, 2021, which was a failed attempt to prevent congressional certification of Biden's 2020 election victory over Trump. Martin told reporters last month that he viewed the presidential pardon power as 'plenary,' meaning it is absolute. 'If you use the autopen for pardon power, I don't think that that's necessarily a problem,' Martin said during a May 13 press conference, adding that he still felt the Biden pardons warranted scrutiny. The investigation appears designed to use the Justice Department to amplify questions about Biden's health and mental acuity, a conversation that has intensified in recent weeks following his cancer diagnosis and a new book revealing Democratic concerns last year about Biden's condition. Questions have since arisen about whether Biden actually signed many of the orders under his administration amid his noticeable cognitive decline after it was revealed they were signed with an autopen. The mechanical device signs documents rather than an individual. It has been used by presidents and lawmakers for decades. The Oversight Project in March 'gathered every document we could find with Biden's signature over the course of his presidency'. 'All used the same autopen signature except for the announcement that the former President was dropping out of the race last year.' It went on to share two examples from documents that it claimed showed the use of the autopen including a document from August 2022 as well as one from December 2024 with what appear to be identical signatures. The group also posted an image of Biden's signature as a comparison from when he announced he was dropping out of the race. That image shows a slight variation from the other shared documents. also examined more than 25 Biden executive orders documented on the Federal Register's office between 2021 and 2025. It found the same signature on each. A separate examination of 25 Trump signatures on orders on the Federal Register's website from his first and second administrations also found the signatures were all the same. The Oversight Project now says investigators must determine 'who controlled the autopen and what checks there were in place' to determine whether Biden actually made any of the orders. Still, it questioned if that was something that could be determined in the 'correct legal process.' Biden, who is 82, last year dropped his reelection bid amid questions about his mental acuity after a disastrous presidential debate performance. Biden was the oldest person to serve as U.S. president, and Trump is the second oldest. The former president's closest aides have dismissed those concerns, saying Biden was fully capable of making important decisions. No evidence has emerged to suggest that Biden did not intend to issue the pardons. In addition, a Justice Department memo from 2005 found it was legitimate for a subordinate to use an autopen for the president's signature.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Trump opens investigation into Biden's ‘competency' after using autopen for string of pardons during final days of term
TRUMP'S staff have opened a probe into whether Joe Biden was competent enough to sign pardons in the last days of his presidency. Aides will consider whether the string of pardons of death row inmates and family members were legitimate - in light of Biden's alleged use of autopen. 4 4 One of those pardoned was his son, Hunter, whose case Biden long insisted he would not interfere with. Ed Martin, Trump's pardon attorney, said the probe will scrutinise whether Biden "was competent" and whether people "were taking advantage of him through use of AutoPen or others means". An autopen is a device used to automatically attach a signature to a document. Trump and his supporters have made a range of claims that Biden's use of the device invalidated his actions - or suggested he was not fully aware of what he was doing. The current president even suggested Biden knew "nothing about" many of the pardons - supposedly rendering them "void and vacant". It is not known whether Biden did actually use autopen on his final-days pardons. An email from Martin detailing the investigation said it will look at preemptive pardons Biden issued to several family members, and clemency he granted to spare 37 death-row inmates. The death-row inmates had their sentences downgraded to life imprisonment. In one of his last acts as president, Biden pardoned five members of his family, saying he wanted to protect them from future politically-motivated charges. These went to his three siblings - James, Frank and Valerie Biden - and two of their spouses, John Owens and Sara Biden. Trump refuses to rule out potential pardon for Diddy if the rapper is convicted of sex trafficking His son Hunter was pardoned slightly earlier on December 1 - absolving him after pleading guilty to tax violations and being convicted of illegally owning a firearm. Hunter had been facing up to 25 years in prison for the offences, although was expected to receive a much lighter punishment as it was his first offense. Martin's email did not specify which member of Biden's family would have their pardons investigated. Nor did it reveal who had ordered the probe. The President's power to wipe away federal convictions or alter sentences is built into the US constitution. Trump himself has used the tool liberally, such as when he signed sweeping pardons for almost all of the 1,600 supporters charged over the January 6 Capitol riots. And Martin even said last month he views the presidential pardon power as "plenary" - which means it is absolute. He said: "If you use the autopen for pardon power, I don't think that that's necessarily a problem." Maga figures have heaped doubt on Biden's competency towards the end of his term. In March, Andrew Bailey, Missouri Attorney General, wrote to the Justice Department requesting "a full investigation into President Biden's mental capacity in his final days in office". He claimed that "Biden's mental decline is famous" and suggested "staffers and officers [...] may have exploited Biden's incapacity" to the point that his orders could be deemed "null and void". Biden's cancer diagnosis has provided Trump's brigade with even more ammunition to level these claims. Biden's office confirmed last month he had advanced-stage prostate cancer which has spread to his bones after a lump was discovered during an examination.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Trump admin launches probe into Biden's actions during final days
By President Trump's administration has opened an investigation into whether Joe Biden 'was competent' when he used an autopen to issue lame duck pardons to family members and death row inmates. Ed Martin (pictured center) - Trump's ultra-MAGA pardon attorney - said the Justice Department has been directed to investigate clemency granted by Biden in the waning days of his presidency, including the December pardon of his troubled son Hunter. Martin's unprecedented probe was revealed in a Monday email to staffers that was obtained by Reuters. The attorney said the investigation involves whether Biden 'was competent and whether others were taking advantage of him through use of AutoPen or other means.' An autopen is a device used to automatically affix a signature to a document. Trump and his supporters have made a variety of claims that Biden's use of the device while president invalidated his actions or suggested that he was not fully aware of these actions. It is not known whether Biden used autopen on pardons. In March, Trump declared his predecessor's last-minute pardons 'void, vacant and of no further force or effect.' He also warned that members of the House committee investigating the January 6 riots can now face prosecution. The email stated that Martin's investigation is focused on preemptive pardons Biden issued to several members of his family and clemency that spared 37 federal inmates from the death penalty, converting their sentences to life in prison. Just before he relinquished the presidency to Trump on January 20, Biden pardoned five members of his family, saying he wanted to protect them from future politically motivated investigations. The pardons went to Biden's siblings James Biden, Frank Biden and Valerie Biden Owens as well as their spouses, John Owens and Sara Biden. Biden on December 1 pardoned his son Hunter Biden, who had pleaded guilty to tax violations and was convicted on firearms-related charges. Hunter faced up to 25 years in prison for the offences, although was expected to receive a much lighter punishment as his first offense. He had a scheduled sentencing date for the charges, but the pardon rendered that court date moot. Martin's email did not specify which of the Biden family members pardons were being investigated. It also did not make clear who directed Martin to launch the investigation. has reached out to the White House and the Department of Justice for comment. The Constitution gives the president broad power to issue pardons to wipe away federal criminal convictions or commutations to modify sentences. Trump himself has made extensive use of executive clemency. For instance, he granted clemency on January 20 to all of the nearly 1,600 of his supporters who faced criminal charges in connection with January 6, 2021, which was a failed attempt to prevent congressional certification of Biden's 2020 election victory over Trump. Martin told reporters last month that he viewed the presidential pardon power as 'plenary,' meaning it is absolute. 'If you use the autopen for pardon power, I don't think that that's necessarily a problem,' Martin said during a May 13 press conference, adding that he still felt the Biden pardons warranted scrutiny. The investigation appears designed to use the Justice Department to amplify questions about Biden's health and mental acuity, a conversation that has intensified in recent weeks following his cancer diagnosis and a new book revealing Democratic concerns last year about Biden's condition. Questions have since arisen about whether Biden actually signed many of the orders under his administration amid his noticeable cognitive decline after it was revealed they were signed with an autopen. The mechanical device signs documents rather than an individual. It has been used by presidents and lawmakers for decades. The Oversight Project in March 'gathered every document we could find with Biden's signature over the course of his presidency'. 'All used the same autopen signature except for the announcement that the former President was dropping out of the race last year.' It went on to share two examples from documents that it claimed showed the use of the autopen including a document from August 2022 as well as one from December 2024 with what appear to be identical signatures. The group also posted an image of Biden's signature as a comparison from when he announced he was dropping out of the race. That image shows a slight variation from the other shared documents. also examined more than 25 Biden executive orders documented on the Federal Register's office between 2021 and 2025. It found the same signature on each. A separate examination of 25 Trump signatures on orders on the Federal Register's website from his first and second administrations also found the signatures were all the same. The Oversight Project now says investigators must determine 'who controlled the autopen and what checks there were in place' to determine whether Biden actually made any of the orders. Still, it questioned if that was something that could be determined in the 'correct legal process.' Biden, who is 82, last year dropped his reelection bid amid questions about his mental acuity after a disastrous presidential debate performance. Biden was the oldest person to serve as U.S. president, and Trump is the second oldest. The former president's closest aides have dismissed those concerns, saying Biden was fully capable of making important decisions. No evidence has emerged to suggest that Biden did not intend to issue the pardons. In addition, a Justice Department memo from 2005 found it was legitimate for a subordinate to use an autopen for the president's signature.
