Fact Check: Joe Biden did not personally approve all pardons issued under his name.

Fact Check: Joe Biden Did Not Personally Approve All Pardons Issued Under His Name

What We Know

President Joe Biden has issued a significant number of pardons during his time in office, with reports indicating that he has set a record for the most pardons and commutations in a single presidential term (NPR). However, it has been revealed that Biden did not personally sign all the official warrants for these pardons. Instead, his administration utilized an autopen device to sign many of the documents (New York Times). This method has raised questions about the extent of Biden's personal involvement in the clemency process.

In a recent interview, Biden stated that he made the clemency decisions but clarified that the autopen was used for the actual signing of the warrants (New York Times). This indicates a separation between the decision-making process and the formal execution of those decisions.

Analysis

The claim that Biden did not personally approve all pardons is substantiated by multiple sources. The use of an autopen for signing pardons suggests that while Biden was involved in the decision-making process, the execution of those decisions was delegated to technology (New York Times). This raises important questions about the nature of presidential authority and the traditional expectations surrounding the signing of pardons.

Critically, the sources reporting on this issue vary in their reliability. The New York Times and NPR are established news organizations with a history of journalistic integrity, making their reports credible (NPR, New York Times). In contrast, sources like the New York Post and Axios, while reputable, may have varying editorial slants that could influence their reporting on political matters (New York Post, Axios).

Biden's defense of the autopen use, stating, "I made every decision," may reflect an attempt to maintain accountability while acknowledging the practicalities of his administration's operations (AA). This complexity illustrates the evolving nature of presidential duties in the modern era, where technology can play a significant role in administrative processes.

Conclusion

The claim that Joe Biden did not personally approve all pardons issued under his name is True. While he was involved in the decision-making process, the use of an autopen for signing pardons indicates that he did not personally execute all of these decisions. This distinction is crucial in understanding the nature of presidential pardons in contemporary governance.

Fact Check: Joe Biden did not personally approve all pardons issued under his name.