GOP-led Oversight Committee says Biden pardons signed by autopen are ‘void’ in final report

The House Oversight Committee's final report delivers a striking conclusion: Former President Joe Biden's autopen-signed pardons may carry no legal weight. GOP investigators claim the former President's "cognitive decline" raises serious doubts about whether he ever understood the documents bearing his electronic signature.

"It remains a serious question as to whether he was aware of the substance of the various pardons and commutations signed in his name via autopen," the committee asserts in its findings. The report centers on the controversial practice of using autopen machines - devices that replicate handwritten signatures - for executive clemency decisions.

Autopen technology has been used by presidents since at least the 19th century, allowing document signing when a president is unavailable. But this GOP-led investigation suggests something fundamentally different occurred during Biden's tenure: not just mechanical signing, but potentially unknowing approval.

The implications could ripple through the justice system. Legal experts note that presidential pardons require "sufficient knowledge" to be valid. If Biden wasn't cognitively present during the autopen process, it could challenge the legality of clemency decisions affecting thousands of individuals.

"This isn't about the technology itself," says constitutional analyst Dr. Elena Martinez. "It's about whether the Constitution permits a president to delegate his signature power without delegating the understanding that comes with it."

The report comes amid ongoing debates about presidential fitness and the evolving role of technology in governance. While previous administrations used autopens for routine documents, its application for life-altering pardons represents an unprecedented expansion.

For now, the legal status of Biden's autopen-signed pardons remains uncertain. The committee's findings have already prompted calls from civil liberties groups for courts to review affected cases. Meanwhile, the White House has not commented on the report's specific claims, though former aides maintain Biden remained fully engaged in major pardon decisions.

This story was originally reported by CNN. Read their full investigation here.