In a surprising revelation, President Biden stands firm on his use of an autopen for mass clemency decisions, claiming, “I made every decision myself!” This statement comes during a New York Times interview where he discussed the rationale behind the controversial use of the technology, particularly when he was signing off on pardons for over 1,500 individuals in his last weeks in office.
The significant clemency act was hailed as the largest single-day grant by a U.S. president. However, the NYT report indicates that while Biden approved the criteria for pardons, he didn’t individually approve each name for categorical pardons. Instead, his aides employed an autopen to expedite the signing of numerous documents.
“We’re talking about a whole lot of people,” said Biden.
The backlash from Republicans has been fierce, with Donald Trump alleging that the use of an autopen hints at a decline in Biden’s cognitive abilities. Trump labeled the situation a scandal, invoking concern over executive power being exercised without transparency.
This incident raises questions about the implications of using technology in governance. Is it time for a stricter policy on signatures, or should efficiency take precedence? Share your thoughts!