Trump Belittles Biden's Pardons, Calling Them Invalid
Trump announces suspension of Biden's pardons
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In a recent declaration on his personal platform, Truth Social, ex-president Donald Trump disparages a series of pardons issued by his successor, Joe Biden, to Trump's purported adversaries. Trump alleges that the pardons, which Biden issued without personal signature, were instead executed by an autopen.
Trump asserts these pardons are ineffectual, claiming that Biden was unaware of them, and didn't personally sign them [1][2]. However, it's common for presidents to use an autopen for official documents, and this practice has been deemed lawful by the Justice Department [1][4].
Biden issued preventive pardons for various individuals in January, including the members of the congressional committee investigating the 2021 Capitol riot instigated by radical Trump supporters. These pardons were intended to shield Trump critics such as former Republican congresswoman Liz Cheney from potential prosecutions driven by political motives.
Trump, in a statement on Monday, asserted that former congressional committee members should brace themselves for investigations on the highest levels, despite a lack of concrete evidence supporting his claims about the autopen signatures [3]. Moreover, Trump hasn't explained why such signatures would render the pardons null and void.
Notably, Biden's preventive pardons extended to figures like former COVID-19 advisor Anthony Fauci, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, and controversially, his son Hunter Biden. Preventive pardons are designed to deter future prosecutions. Following taking office, Trump himself granted pardons to approximately 1500 individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Sources: ntv.de, AFP, [1], [2], [3], [4]
Enrichment Data:
- Trump's assertion that Biden's pardons, supposedly signed with an autopen, are invalid is unverified and has no basis in law [1][2][3][4]. The use of an autopen signatures has been deemed legal by the Justice Department and precedent from previous presidents [1][4].
- Trump lacks the authority to overturn Biden's pardons, as the presidential clemency power is broad and nearly unlimited under Article II of the U.S. Constitution [4].
The Commission has not yet adopted a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation. Biden, despite Trump's allegations, was reportedly aware of the pardons issued by him, even though they were executed by an autopen. Users on Whatsapp might discuss the legality and validity of these pardons, as the issue remains controversial and unresolved.
