Biden Defends Pardons Amid Republican Criticism of Autopen Usage

President Joe Biden has recently addressed accusations from Republicans who claim that his aides misused an autopen to sign pardons and commutations, defending his own role in the process during an interview with The New York Times. He emphasized that he was responsible for the decision to commute the sentences of over 4,000 individuals and issue numerous pardons, expressing that the opposition's claims are false. Biden firmly stated, "They’re liars. They know it," suggesting that Republicans are attempting to divert attention from other issues by focusing on his clemency actions.

In the waning days of his presidency, Biden achieved a record number of pardons and commutations, having reduced sentences for around 1,500 individuals convicted of nonviolent offenses in December and approximately 2,500 more in January. This initiative aimed to address the inequalities within sentencing practices. Additionally, he offered preemptive pardons to various individuals, including some who were investigated for their involvement in the January 6 Capitol riot and Dr. Anthony Fauci, as a safeguard against the potential targeting by the former Trump administration.

Biden explained in the interview that while he may not have personally reviewed each specific case, he was the one who established the criteria for eligibility for clemency. He articulated that he laid out a strategic framework for the pardons and commutations process, ensuring it was conducted effectively. In light of the criticism, Trump and his allies have claimed that Biden's use of an autopen reflects cognitive decline, a suggestion that Biden and others have dismissed as unfounded. Although legal guidelines permit the use of autopens for presidential actions, the former president has indicated that he believes the legitimacy of Biden's pardons could be challenged based on their issuance method.