In a move that underscores the importance of tradition and personal responsibility in the highest office of the land, a Republican congressman is spearheading a campaign to outlaw the use of autopens for signing presidential pardons.
This initiative comes on the heels of former President Donald Trump's assertion that his successor, Joe Biden's pardons, are null and void due to their alleged autopen signatures.
According to Fox News, Rep. Buddy Carter, a Republican from Georgia, is set to introduce the Signature Integrity for Granting National Pardons (SIGN) Act. This legislation, if passed, would mandate that a sitting president personally sign any pardon or reprieve, thereby banning the use of mechanical signatures such as those produced by an autopen.
Carter, in a statement to Fox News Digital, expressed his belief that "Bidens use of an autopen should automatically void his presidential pardons." He further explained that "The SIGN Pardons Act will restore the integrity of this important role in our justice system, ensuring that all pardons are physically signed by the Commander-in-Chief."
This Republican-led legislative initiative follows closely on the heels of Trump's declaration that Biden's last-minute presidential pardons are "vacant" due to their alleged autopen signatures. Carter added that "This irresponsible use of technology raises questions about who was really running the country during Bidens term. If Biden outsourced this constitutional duty to staff and machines, what other major decisions was he absent for?"
A study conducted by a branch of the Heritage Foundation suggested that the majority of official documents signed by Biden bear an autopen signature. Trump, in a post on Truth Social, claimed that Biden was oblivious to the pardons signed in the final days of his term, which included pardoning members of the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Trump stated on Truth Social, "The 'Pardons' that Sleepy Joe Biden gave to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, and many others, are hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen." He further claimed that Biden was not only unaware of these pardons but also that "The necessary Pardoning Documents were not explained to, or approved by, Biden. He knew nothing about them, and the people that did may have committed a crime."
The White House has confirmed that Trump did not use an autopen for signing legally binding documents such as pardons. Meanwhile, Power the Future, an energy watchdog group, has requested Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate whether Biden also used an autopen for signing energy-related executive orders and if these actions were carried out with the president's knowledge.
While the Justice Departments Office of Legal Counsel ruled in 2005 that the president is allowed to use an autopen to sign bills into law, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued a ruling in February stating that the absence of "a writing does not equate to proof that a commutation did not occur."
Despite attempts by Fox News Digital to obtain a comment from Biden's office, no immediate response was forthcoming. This unfolding story serves as a stark reminder of the importance of personal responsibility and tradition in the execution of presidential duties, values that are held in high regard by conservatives.
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