Attorney General Pam Bondi has opened a formal investigation into former President Joe Biden’s use of the autopen, following a dramatic move from Republican lawmakers declaring many of his pardons “void.”
The GOP-controlled House Oversight Committee, led by Chair James Comer (R-KY), has released a 93-page report alleging “a cover-up of the president’s cognitive decline.” The report asserts that Biden’s reliance on the autopen to sign pardons undermines their legitimacy and raises serious legal questions.
In a letter to Bondi on Tuesday, Comer wrote that his committee “deems void President Biden’s executive actions that were signed using the Autopen, and the committee determines that action by the Department of Justice is warranted to address the legal consequences of that determination.”
Bondi confirmed the investigation in a post on X, stating, “My team is reviewing the Biden administration’s reported use of autopen for pardons. Thank you to @RepJamesComer for his GREAT work on this. We look forward to working alongside @GOPoversight to deliver accountability for the American people.”
The Biden administration pushed back immediately. A spokesperson told CNN that the report confirmed “President Biden made the decisions of his presidency.” The spokesperson added, “There was no conspiracy, no cover-up, and no wrongdoing. Congressional Republicans should stop focusing on political retribution and instead work to end the government shutdown.”
The clash signals an escalating battle between Biden and congressional Republicans over the limits of executive power—and the growing scrutiny of how presidential authority is exercised in Washington.
