Newly released emails from Justice Department official Ed Martin indicate that President Joe Biden’s own DOJ raised red flags over thousands of last-minute clemency decisions signed using an autopen.
Earlier this year, Ed Martin began reviewing Biden’s use of autopen—a device that replicates signatures—for issuing pardons and commutations, a practice that has drawn increased scrutiny. The Oversight Project first brought attention to the issue, revealing that thousands of clemency actions had been signed not by the President himself, but through autopen devices using two distinct Biden signature variations.
🚨 Autopen Update 🚨
We analyzed Biden’s Jan. 19, 2025 “pardons” for:-Biden Family Members
-Anthony Fauci
-General Milley
-J6 Committee
-Gerald LunderganThey all have the same exact Biden autopen signature https://t.co/jc6mkx37il pic.twitter.com/8VeBDwLNv7
— Oversight Project (@ItsYourGov) March 11, 2025
🚨SECOND AUTOPEN DISCOVERED🚨
We have found that there was a second frequently used autopen signature for President Biden on pardons and commutations. https://t.co/ociYTfdTkp pic.twitter.com/EeT4Tz9Gb0
— Oversight Project (@ItsYourGov) March 13, 2025
Emails obtained by The New York Times and reviewed by The Washington Times show that Biden aides, including Neera Tanden, Jeff Zients, and Stephanie Feldman, were involved in the decision to use autopen signatures. In several cases, pardons were issued without Biden personally approving individual names—even after the list of candidates had changed.
One of the most serious concerns came from Associate Deputy Attorney General Bradley Weinsheimer. In a Jan. 18 email—just days before Biden left office—Weinsheimer warned senior White House lawyers that the sweeping use of autopen to issue last-minute pardons could be legally flawed. He highlighted vague language in the clemency warrants that, he said, could inadvertently extend pardons to violent offenders, including those convicted of murdering children or police officers.
Weinsheimer also criticized the lack of input from the DOJ in vetting candidates for clemency, noting that some pardons were granted despite significant objections from victims’ families.
These revelations add to growing concerns over transparency and legality in the final wave of Biden-era clemency decisions.