A newly released House Oversight Committee report asserts that all of former President Joe Biden’s final executive actions, including controversial pardons and clemencies, are null and void because they were carried out without his personal approval.
The 91-page report, based on interviews with more than a dozen Biden aides, details how his staff closely monitored and controlled nearly every aspect of his daily routine.
This included reading schedules, physical activity, media appearances, clothing and even the staging of speeches, including major addresses like the State of the Union, which reportedly involved guidance from Hollywood consultants.
Investigators warned that these interventions raise serious questions about the legal validity of decisions made under such oversight.
The New York Post reports that the committee specifically scrutinized last-minute pardons and clemencies.
Hunter Biden’s sweeping pardon, covering alleged offenses spanning over 11 years, was reportedly the only executive clemency personally signed by the former president.
All other high-profile pardons, including one granted to Dr. Anthony Fauci for his controversial handling of COVID-19, were executed via autopen without documented explicit presidential consent.
Oversight investigators emphasized that delegation of pardon authority in this manner violates constitutional norms and renders the actions legally null.
Former White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients acknowledged approving these last-minute pardons but admitted he did not know who physically operated the autopen, instead relying on verbal briefings from staff.
Deputy Chief of Staff Annie Tomasini, White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor and Jill Biden’s chief of staff Anthony Bernal all invoked the Fifth Amendment when questioned about their involvement in overseeing autopen-issued actions.
Their refusals have intensified concerns over transparency and the potential concealment of misconduct.
Oversight Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-KY) called for immediate accountability, urging the Department of Justice to conduct a thorough review of these executive actions and investigate key aides who may have concealed their participation.
He also requested that the D.C. Board of Medicine examine Dr. O’Connor’s role in allegedly providing misleading medical assessments to protect Biden’s public image.
“We have provided Americans with transparency about the Biden Autopen Presidency, and now there must be accountability,” Comer said.
The report documents how aides managed nearly every aspect of Biden’s public interactions, including limiting his contact with lawmakers, summarizing cognitive evaluations rather than disclosing full assessments and implementing teleprompters even for small-scale events.
Investigators suggest these measures could have materially influenced executive decision-making, casting doubt on the legality of orders, clemencies and other acts signed without personal authorization.
Legal analysts note that autopen-authorized actions have not previously faced court challenges, but Oversight Republicans argue that without the former president’s explicit approval, the orders are legally void.
The committee warned that these findings could have far-reaching consequences, potentially affecting federal cases, public trust in government and the legitimacy of Biden’s final acts in office.
Biden allies reject allegations of misconduct, asserting that all actions were personally approved, and have dismissed the report as politically motivated.
Republicans contend the findings reveal one of the most significant breaches of constitutional authority in modern history.
As investigations continue, questions remain about the legality of autopen-issued orders, the role of senior aides and whether federal and state authorities will pursue accountability for actions deemed null and void.
