Chicago – June 02, 2025
A senior official in President Donald Trump’s Justice Department has been ordered to investigate pardons and clemency granted by former President Joe Biden in the final days of his presidency. Ed Martin, the Justice Department’s pardon attorney, said in an email that the probe will examine whether Biden was mentally competent and if others exploited him by using an autopen—a device that automatically signs documents—when issuing pardons. It is not known if Biden actually used an autopen for these pardons.
The investigation focuses on Biden’s preemptive pardons for several family members and clemency that spared 37 federal inmates from the death penalty by changing their sentences to life in prison. Just before leaving office on January 20, Biden pardoned five relatives, including his siblings James Biden, Frank Biden, and Valerie Biden Owens, as well as their spouses. Earlier, on December 1, Biden pardoned his son Hunter Biden, who had pleaded guilty to tax violations and was convicted on firearms charges.
Martin’s email did not specify which family pardons are under investigation or who directed the inquiry. The U.S. Constitution gives presidents broad power to grant pardons and reduce sentences. Trump himself used this power extensively, including pardoning nearly 1,600 supporters involved in the January 6 Capitol attack.
This investigation appears to be part of a broader effort to raise questions about Biden’s health and mental sharpness, especially after his recent cancer diagnosis and reports about concerns over his condition.
