The White House has launched its own investigation of an autopen used to put President Biden’s signature on pardons and other official documents.
The White House requested some documents from the National Archives to review potential autopen use during Mr. Biden’s presidency and evaluate records to see who authorized the use of the autopen, perhaps without the president’s knowledge, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Referencing a recent New York Times interview in which Mr. Biden admitted to not reviewing every pardon he signed, Ms. Leavitt said it is “incredibly important that we get to the bottom of who really was at the tip of the spear and the decision-making process here in the White House.”
“That’s incredibly concerning, and I can tell you, it’s something this president would never tolerate. This is a president who is signing things all the time,” she said.
She said Mr. Trump personally signs all documents with legal implications “because he’s the one making the decisions.”
“It does not appear that was the truth in the previous White House,” Ms. Leavitt said. “And I know the American people want to receive answers on who was running the show because the decisions that were made in this place really destroyed our country, and we deserve to get to the bottom of it.”
On Wednesday, Mr. Trump said he thought the use of the autopen by the Biden administration was “the biggest scandal.”
Mr. Biden’s recent admission has revved up Republican lawmakers’ moves to challenge his autopen actions.
Sen. Rand Paul has pledged to refile a criminal referral against Anthony Fauci with the Justice Department because his pardon from Mr. Biden was issued in a late-night autopen signing.
“Perjury is a crime. And Fauci must be held accountable,” Mr. Paul wrote on social media.
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is also investigating the alleged cover-up of Mr. Biden’s mental decline while in office and possible use of the autopen without his knowledge.
Dr. Kevin O’Connor, who was Mr. Biden’s White House physician, and Anthony Bernal, who was a top aide to Mr. Biden and first lady Jill Biden, recently invoked their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination when questioned in the Oversight Committee probe.
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.