President Trump has ordered an official inquiry into whether former President Biden's administration used an autopen—a machine that replicates signatures—to sign important presidential documents, such as pardons and judicial appointments. In a memo sent Wednesday night, Trump instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House counsel to investigate what Trump called a potential "conspiracy" to use autopen signatures to hide Biden's alleged cognitive decline, CBS News reports.
Trump's order suggests that if Biden's aides used the mechanical signature device without proper disclosure, it could call into question the validity of a range of executive actions. He wants investigators to determine which documents were signed using an autopen and who authorized its use, as well as to examine whether the public was misled about the president's mental fitness. Per Fox News, Biden hand-signed the pardon for his son Hunter, but appears to have used an autopen for many others. He granted clemency and pardons to more than 1,500 people during his final days in office.
A spokesperson for Biden declined to comment on the order. Historically, presidents have employed autopen machines for decades, and a 2005 Justice Department review under President George W. Bush concluded that using an autopen to sign bills is legally permissible. Trump himself has acknowledged using the device "only for very unimportant papers." Despite this precedent, Trump and his supporters have attacked the legitimacy of Biden's alleged use, with Trump arguing earlier this year that some late-term pardons issued by Biden should be considered null and void. Legal experts, however, point out that a president's pardons cannot be revoked based on autopen use.
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