The Biden autopen 'signatures'
A key aide to former President Joe Biden may have exceeded their authority by liberally using an autopen to sign official documents, according to two former White House sources, as President Trump’s aides set up “far more restrictive” rules governing the use of the mechanical device.
A document obtained by The Post outlines the narrow set of circumstances in which Trump’s signature can be affixed to documents, following controversy this week kicked off by a Heritage Foundation analysis of Biden signatures on various records, including last-minute pardons.
A small group of officials under both Biden and Trump have been delegated the power to get documents “signed” robotically, but 82-year-old Biden’s perceived cognitive decline sparked debate about whether some aides may have assumed his wishes in his final stretch as commander-in-chief.
One Biden White House source told The Post they suspect that a key aide to the then-president may have made unilateral determinations on what to auto-sign. The Post is not publishing that staffer’s name due to the lack of concrete evidence and refutations by other colleagues.
The Biden aide, who did not respond to requests for comment, would frequently make mention of what “the boss” wanted, the source said, but compatriots would have “no idea” if it was true because the internal culture was to not ask questions.
“I feared no one as much as I feared that [staffer]. To me, [the staffer] basically was the president,” the person said. “No one ever questioned [the staffer]. Period.”
“Everyone” was suspicious of this individual exceeding their authority when claiming to speak for the president, the source said. “But no one would actually say it.”
“I think [the aide] was using the autopen as standard and past protocol,” The Post’s informant said.
“There is no clarity on who actually approved what — POTUS or [the aide].”
A second Biden White House source agreed that the person was suspected of assuming the then-president’s positions and handing down orders without it being clear if they actually had communicated with the commander-in-chief.
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There were some obvious reasons for the suspicions about Biden who was having trouble articulating his thoughts and just maneuvering his body in public. The staffer who was responsible for the position statements is not identified in the article, but I suspect he or she will eventually be known. The person who was sometimes acting for the president should be identified and questioned by the media.
See also:
We Have an Update on Joe Biden's Autopen Use. It's Not Good.
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One Biden White House source told The Post they suspect that a key aide to the then-president may have made unilateral determinations on what to auto-sign. The Post is not publishing that staffer’s name due to the lack of concrete evidence and refutations by other colleagues.
The Biden aide, who did not respond to requests for comment, would frequently make mention of what “the boss” wanted, the source said, but compatriots would have “no idea” if it was true because the internal culture was to not ask questions.
[…]
“Everyone” was suspicious of this individual exceeding their authority when claiming to speak for the president, the source said. “But no one would actually say it.”
“I think [the aide] was using the autopen as standard and past protocol,” The Post’s informant said.
“There is no clarity on who actually approved what — POTUS or [the aide].”
...
And:
Report: The Plot Thickens on the Scandal Over Who May Have Been Using Biden's Autopen
And:
Former Biden aide claims top staffer abused autopen as president's cognitive abilities deteriorated
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A former Biden aide said that a key staffer was suspected of unilaterally making decisions to sign documents as former President Joe Biden's cognitive abilities decreased. The aide said others in the administration questioned the staffer's use of the autopen appropriately but would not speak out because of the culture in the White House was not to ask questions.
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And:
Explosive Update to Biden Autopen Scandal Reveals Unelected Staffer’s Role
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