DOJ Official Warned Biden About Autopen Pardons: Report
President Joe Biden was warned by a Department of Justice that some autopen pardons were legally flawed. These pardons, given in the waning ours of his presidency, also went against Biden’s objective by releasing…
President Joe Biden was warned by a Department of Justice that some Autopen pardons were legally flawed.
These pardons, given in the waning ours of his presidency, also went against Biden’s objective by releasing violent offenders who killed children and police officers, per the Washington Times.
That Department of Justice official was Associate Deputy Attorney General Bradley Weinsheimer, who was critical of the “highly problematic” language contained in a warrant, subsequently signed by the Autopen, that pardoned hundreds of criminals. He warned the Biden administration in an email dated Jan. 18, two days before Biden left office.
Weinsheimer said the wording of the pardoned offenses was too vague.
He said that wording lack could also result in commutations “in circumstances, including for crimes of violence, that was not intended.”
Weinsheimer added the DOJ could not vet the possible people granted clemency.
Some of those pardoned were granted leniency despite “voluminous objections” from the victims’ families, he said.
The DOJ gave the email to Oversight Project, a legal watchdog group, after President