Former President Joe Biden’s use of the autopen to sign official documents during the waning months of his presidency has rapidly grown from a question mark to the biggest presidential scandal in modern history.
Critics have questioned Biden’s remaining mental capacity, and asked if staffers or White House aides were behind the signatures.
It could potentially legally invalidate months, or years, of Biden’s legal orders, including the controversial sweeping pardons of the Biden family and friends.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich told Fox News it could be the “biggest scandal in American history” because of the long-term legal implications.
“The reason is, sometime, I’d think it’s probably in 2023… Joe Biden was no longer there, and that means that other people were exercising the power of the presidency without any constitutional limitations,” Gingrich said. “I really think the key is not to look at Biden, but to look the various Obama people who had infiltrated that system.”
“The one I find the most interesting is that on one day after the election, he commuted [the jail sentences] 2,400 people. Now you know he didn’t have a clue. Somebody was running the autopen,” he continued.
“Somebody was giving them instructions and somebody was making deals somewhere. That’s just a tiny example of how bad it was.”
Gingrich’s statement comes as the United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability is ramping up an investigation into the scandal.
Neera Tanden, who served closely to Biden and his family, will appear for an interview in front of lawmakers on June 24. The committee is also set to interview a former senior advisor to first lady Jill Biden, Anthony Bernal, two days later on June 26.
The two aides are a few of those rumored to be part of the reported “politburo” that critics say covered up his mental decline and acted on his behalf throughout his presidency.
“Two other top aides reportedly in on the cover-up —Ashley Williams, former special assistant and deputy director of Oval Office operations, and Annie Tomasini, former deputy chief of staff —will provide interviews in July,” The Washington Times reported. “The four agreed to appear voluntarily, weeks after Oversight Chairman James Comer, Kentucky Republican, requested interviews.”
According a recent tell-all book, “Original Sin”, other political veterans including Mike Donilon, Steve Ricchetti and Bruce Reed — as well as Biden’s wife, Jill, and son, Hunter — were also members of the so-called “politburo.”
“In terms of who was running the White House, it’s a small group of people that have been around,” co-author Alex Thompson said recently. “Some people within the administration called them the Politburo. That’s the term we used in the book.”
Biden’s office denounced the investigation late last week, and issued a statement from the former president.
“Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency,” the Biden office’s statement said. “I made the decisions about pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false.”