Are Concerns Over Biden's Autopen Use Justified?

Former President Joe Biden's use of an autopen for the signing of numerous pardons during his term is sparking controversy, with some questioning the level of his involvement in these decisions, and others questioning Republicans’ focus on it.

Was Biden in Control? The New York Post Editorial Board (Right bias) argues that Biden's defense of his reliance on aides and the use of an autopen only confirms suspicions that his staff had significant control during his presidency. Biden's staff held a substantial amount of power, which, according to the Editorial Board, supports President Donald Trump's claim that Biden's aides abused the power of Presidential signatures with an autopen to conceal his cognitive decline.

‘Pez Dispenser’: Jim Geraghty (Lean Right), writing for the Washington Post (Lean Left), also raises concerns about the use of the autopen for pardons, stating that it is not reassuring to see Biden and his former aides admitting that he did not individually approve each pardon. “They shouldn’t be running through the federal criminal justice system, popping out commutations like a Pez dispenser,” Geraghty argues, adding that the president should be familiar with the facts of each case before granting a pardon or commuting a sentence.

Trump’s Political Witch Hunt: An opinion writer for Time Magazine (Lean Left)  framed Trump’s suspicions as “a political witch hunt.” They noted the historical autopen use by past presidents, arguing that Biden's use of the device is not unprecedented. Biden has acknowledged and defended the use of the autopen, citing his heavy workload. Trump's focus on the autopen is framed as part of a larger effort by Republicans to question Biden's cognitive status and invalidate some of his decisions.

Revised by the AllSides staff (of humans) after a first draft from our custom AI. Learn more. Support our mission. Suggest an improvement to this summary.