Trump's Justice Department examining pardons issued by Biden
Share this @internewscast.com

A senior official in former President Donald Trump’s Justice Department announced on Monday that he has been tasked with investigating pardons granted by Democrat Joe Biden to family members and death row inmates during the final days of his presidency.

Ed Martin, who serves as the Justice Department’s pardon attorney, mentioned in an email obtained by Reuters that the investigation will examine whether Biden was competent and whether anyone exploited him through the use of AutoPen or other methods.

An autopen is a device used to automatically affix a signature to a document.

Trump and his supporters have propagated various baseless claims suggesting that because Biden used the device while president, his actions were invalid or that he was not entirely aware of them.

It is not known whether Biden used autopen on pardons.

The email stated that Martin’s investigation is focused on preemptive pardons Biden issued to several members of his family and clemency that spared 37 federal inmates from the death penalty, converting their sentences to life in prison.

Just before he relinquished the presidency to Trump on January 20, Biden pardoned five members of his family, saying he wanted to protect them from future politically motivated investigations.

The pardons went to Biden’s siblings James Biden, Frank Biden and Valerie Biden Owens as well as their spouses, John Owens and Sara Biden. Biden on December 1 pardoned his son Hunter Biden, who had pleaded guilty to tax violations and was convicted on firearms-related charges.

Martin’s email did not specify which pardons of Biden family members were being investigated. It also did not make clear who directed Martin to launch the investigation.

A Justice Department spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A Biden spokesperson did not immediately provide comment.

The US Constitution gives the president broad power to issue pardons to wipe away federal criminal convictions or commutations to modify sentences.

Trump himself has made extensive use of executive clemency.

For instance, he granted clemency on January 20 to all of the nearly 1,600 of his supporters who faced criminal charges in connection with the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol, which was a failed attempt to prevent congressional certification of Biden’s 2020 election victory over Trump.

Martin previously served as the interim US attorney in Washington before his nomination for that post foundered in the Senate.

Martin told reporters last month that he viewed the presidential pardon power as “plenary,” meaning it is absolute.

“If you use the autopen for pardon power, I don’t think that that’s necessarily a problem,” Martin said during a May 13 press conference, adding that he still felt the Biden pardons warranted scrutiny.

The investigation appears designed to use the Justice Department to amplify questions about Biden’s health and mental acuity, a conversation that has intensified in recent weeks following his cancer diagnosis and a new book revealing Democratic concerns last year about Biden’s condition.

Biden, who is 82, last year dropped his reelection bid amid questions about his mental acuity after a disastrous presidential debate performance. Biden was the oldest person to serve as US president, and Trump is the second oldest.

Biden’s closest aides have dismissed those concerns, saying Biden was fully capable of making important decisions.

No evidence has emerged to suggest that Biden did not intend to issue the pardons. In addition, a Justice Department memo from 2005 found it was legitimate for a subordinate to use an autopen for the president’s signature.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
U.S. warships to patrol international waters around Venezuela as Trump vows to stop cartels

Trump Pledges to Combat Cartels: U.S. Warships to Patrol Venezuelan Waters

The U.S. military has sent destroyers and thousands of Marines toward Venezuela…
Christian school teacher arrested on child sex crime charges

Christian School Teacher Charged with Child Sexual Offenses

A private Christian school teacher in Virginia has been arrested amid allegations…
Chicago weather: Storms bring heavy rain across area, with flood advisories in effect BP refinery in Whiting impacted

Chicago Weather Alert: Heavy Rain Leads to Flood Advisories, Affecting BP Refinery in Whiting

CHICAGO (WLS) — Heavy rain fell across the Chicago area Monday night…
Texas Democrat spends night in Legislature protesting police shadowing in redistricting battle

Texas Democrat Stages Overnight Protest Against Police Surveillance in Redistricting Dispute

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A Texas Democrat chose to remain in the…
Bryan Kohberger entering a courtroom for his arraignment.

Bryan Kohberger Debunks Theory About Victim Kaylee Goncalves After Conflicting Accounts From Surviving Roommate

A THEORY about what really happened during the murders of four Idaho…
Jailhouse footage of Bryan Kohberger.

Bryan Kohberger May File Lawsuit Over Leaked Jail Video After Probe Into ‘Alarming Footage from Inside His Cell’

BRYAN Kohberger would have grounds to sue over alleged leaked footage of…
Israeli-born U.S. Attorney Protect Israeli Pedophile

U.S. Lawyer of Israeli Origin Defends Accused Israeli Pedophile

The arrest of Tom Alexandrovich, an Israeli cyber spy and senior official…

DNA Evidence Confirms Police Theory: Fugitive Father Still at Large Over 2 Months After Allegedly Killing 3 Daughters

NEW DNA evidence has confirmed that Travis Decker is the only suspect…
Russia launches largest attack on Ukraine this month following Trump's meetings with Putin, Zelenskyy

Russia Initiates Major Offensive Against Ukraine Post Trump’s Meetings with Putin and Zelenskyy This Month

In its most significant assault this month, Russia unleashed an attack on…
Khalen Saunders brings championship pedigree to Jacksonville

Khalen Saunders Infuses Championship Experience into Jacksonville Team

Saunders said he found out about the trade shortly after Sunday’s game…
Chicago crime: Micro bully dog, 'Mamas,' stolen from Gage Park alley at 59th, Troy, police say; owner offering cash reward

Micro Bully Dog ‘Mamas’ Stolen from Gage Park Alley; Owner Offers Cash Reward

CHICAGO (WLS) — A Chicago woman is offering a cash reward after…
911 call released of Florida teen who said he killed his parents

Florida Teen Denies Charges in Parents’ Murder Case

On August 12, a grand jury in Clay County charged 14-year-old Trevor…