House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) has officially requested that Attorney General Pam Bondi take immediate and decisive action in response to concerns over executive actions and pardons executed by autopen during President Biden's term. The committee, after an extensive investigation, has raised alarms about the legitimacy of these actions, suggesting that they may have been carried out without the President's knowledge.
The investigation has involved a thorough review of email correspondence and the deposition of key aides, uncovering that aides may have bypassed the President entirely. Comer, speaking with Just the News, expressed confidence in the investigation's thoroughness, stating, "We've done all the heavy lifting, now it's up to her to bring these people in."
The use of an autopen, while typically reserved for less consequential documents such as mass letters or certificates, is highly controversial when applied to presidential pardons. These pardons are potent legal tools that, according to Comer, necessitate direct presidential approval. Comer highlighted the gravity of the situation, emphasizing that if President Biden was not in a position to physically sign these pardons, it calls into question his evaluation of them or even his capacity to do so at the time.
The committee's report points to potential illegitimacy of numerous executive actions and underscores the urgent need for the Department of Justice to conduct a full investigation. Comer has accused senior aides of deliberately hiding the President's declining faculties during the handling of these sensitive matters. Such actions, he warned, could significantly undermine public trust in the executive process.
The involvement of Hunter Biden, President Biden's son, in discussions about pardons has attracted particular concern, especially given his prior entanglements with foreign influence and financial misconduct. The committee found it suspicious that Hunter Biden was present at pardon-related meetings while thousands of pardons were supposedly issued via autopen.
President Biden's office has dismissed the allegations. However, the President himself, in a New York Times interview, admitted that he did not individually approve each pardon, a point that Comer has cited as further evidence of procedural impropriety. "One person has this authority, and that one person is the President of the United States. By his own admission, he didnβt evaluate all the pardons," Comer asserted.
Attorney General Bondi has acknowledged the gravity of the findings and confirmed that her office has initiated a review of the autopen's use. She expressed gratitude for the committee's efforts, tweeting, "We'll continue working with @GOPoversight to deliver accountability for the American people."
As the story unfolds, Rep. Comer remains adamant that any executive action circumventing the President's direct participation is invalid and must be addressed. His call to action is not just a matter of legal scrutiny but also a defense of the integrity of the executive branch and the broader system of checks and balances.
