House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., is diving headfirst into a controversy that could shake up the legacy of former President Joe Biden’s final days in office.
According to Newsmax, Comer’s latest investigation targets Biden’s use of an autopen to sign last-minute pardons, sparking questions about whether the former president even knew what he was “signing” or if a rogue staffer played puppet master.
Speaking at a Republican National Lawyers Association policy conference in Washington, Comer revealed that the Oversight Committee has launched an investigation into how Biden’s signature was applied to controversial pardons during his final days in office.
These weren’t just any pardons—they covered Biden’s family members, key figures like Dr. Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and Gen. Mark Milley, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Even members of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s partisan Jan. 6 select committee got a pass, raising eyebrows about the timing and intent of these sweeping acts of clemency.
Now, let’s be fair—pardons are a presidential prerogative, but using a device to sign them? That’s where conservatives like Comer smell something fishy, and frankly, it’s hard to disagree when accountability seems to take a backseat.
According to a March investigation by the Oversight Project, a branch of the Heritage Foundation, Biden’s signature appeared via autopen on numerous documents, including a pardon for six criminals on Dec. 30, 2022, while he was reportedly vacationing in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Interestingly, those pardons claimed to be “signed in the city of Washington,” which raises a polite but pointed question: Was the former president even in the loop, or was this a tropical signature by proxy?
The Oversight Project didn’t mince words on social media, stating that whoever controlled the autopen essentially “controlled the presidency”—a chilling thought for anyone who values transparency in government.
Adding fuel to the fire, a March 14 report from the New York Post suggested a key Biden aide may have overstepped their authority by freely using the autopen on official documents.
Two former White House sources told the Post this aide often spoke of what “the boss” wanted, with one source quipping that the staffer “basically was the president”—a line that should make any American pause and ponder who’s really running the show.
While we must respect the roles of staffers in a high-pressure environment, this kind of unchecked power, if true, undermines the very principles of elected leadership that conservatives hold dear.
Comer’s comments suggest the Oversight Committee is closing in on the identity of this mystery staffer, hinting at a potential breakthrough that could redefine the conversation around Biden’s final acts as president.
If the investigation pans out as Comer anticipates, it could build a compelling case to challenge the legitimacy of these pardons—a move President Donald Trump has already supported by declaring them “void” and without legal weight due to the autopen’s use.
Let’s not rush to judgment, but as the saying goes, actions have consequences, and using a machine to sign off on such weighty decisions might just be a step too far, even for a presidency often criticized by conservatives for its progressive overreach.
