Former President Joe Biden blasted Republicans as “liars” for suggesting that his aides used an autopen to take actions without his knowledge, taking advantage of his diminished cognitive state, as the GOP continues to scrutinize his record at the direction of Donald Trump.
In an interview with The New York Times published on Sunday, Biden said the autopen device was used to replicate his signature “because there were a lot of” clemency decisions to be signed, defending the practice as entirely legal.
“As you know, other presidents used it, including Trump,” Biden said.
The former president then tore into Trump and his Republican allies for claiming his aides abused the autopen, thus rendering many of his actions invalid, by declaring that he “made every single” clemency decision himself during his term and accusing Trump’s GOP allies of weaponizing the issue to distract Americans from their own failings.
“They’re liars. They know it. They know, for certain. I mean, this is — look, what they, they’ve had a pretty good thing going here,” Biden said. “The best thing they can do is try to change the focus and focus on something else. And this is a — I think that’s what this is about.”
Last month, Trump demanded an investigation into some of Biden’s actions as president. He said a probe is warranted, citing Biden’s “documented cognitive decline and the repeated use of an autopen.” Biden previously ripped those allegations as “ridiculous and false.”
The Times reported that Biden used the autopen on 25 pardon and commutation warrants from December to January.
Meanwhile, Biden added that he “consciously” made the controversial decision to issue blanket pardons for his brother James and his wife, Sara; his sister, Valerie, and her husband, John Owens; and his brother Francis minutes before leaving office. That announcement ahead of Trump’s inauguration came a month after Biden pardoned his son Hunter on tax and gun crimes.
“I know how vindictive he is,” Biden said of Trump. “I mean, everybody knows how vindictive he is. So we knew that they’d do what they’re doing now.”
Biden also issued preemptive pardons for Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired Gen. Mark Milley and the members of the now-defunct House Select Committee tasked with investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.
A Pew Research Center analysis found that Biden issued far more acts of clemency than any other president during his time in office.
As Republicans continue to raise questions about Biden’s health, his former physician Kevin O’Connor refused to answer questions before the House Oversight Committee last week, citing doctor-client privilege and his Fifth Amendment rights.
“It’s now clear there was a conspiracy to cover up President Biden’s cognitive decline,” its chairman, Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), said.
More Biden aides are expected to testify before the panel soon.
CORRECTION: This article has been amended to reflect that Biden is the president who issued pardons for Fauci, Milley, and Jan. 6 committee members.