The House Oversight Committee's investigation into former President Joe Biden's alleged mental decline has gained powerful new backing from the Department of Justice, with Chairman James Comer praising the expansion of scrutiny into controversial end-of-term pardons.
According to Fox News, the Trump administration's DOJ has launched an investigation into whether Biden was mentally competent when certain pardons were issued and if others potentially took advantage of him through unauthorized use of an autopen signature device.
The probe centers on a series of sweeping pardons granted in Biden's final days in office, including a controversial pardon for his son, Hunter Biden, which contradicted Biden's previous public statements that he would not pardon family members.
The DOJ's involvement marks a significant escalation in examining the circumstances surrounding Biden's last months in office. Their investigation specifically focuses on whether Biden was mentally fit to issue pardons and if staff members potentially overstepped their authority.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer welcomed the DOJ's parallel investigation, viewing it as validation of his committee's ongoing probe into alleged efforts to conceal Biden's declining cognitive state.
"The Trump DOJ is right to open a probe into the potential unauthorized use of autopen at the Biden White House for sweeping pardons and other executive actions," Comer stated. "Americans demand transparency and accountability about who was calling the shots at the White House."
Comer's committee has requested testimony from five former senior Biden aides, including the president's physician Kevin O'Connor, as part of their investigation into what they term a "cover-up" of Biden's mental state.
Sources familiar with the matter indicate that lawyers for all five former staffers are in communication with the committee regarding potential appearances. However, Comer has made it clear that subpoenas remain on the table if voluntary cooperation fails.
The committee chairman emphasized his determination to get answers, stating the investigation "will be talking soon with a large group of former administration and campaign officials, under subpoena if necessary."
Questions about Biden's cognitive abilities, once considered taboo in Washington circles, gained prominence following his widely criticized debate performance against Donald Trump in 2024. Since then, numerous reports have emerged about Biden misremembering longtime allies and losing focus during important meetings.
Biden's recent announcement of stage 4 prostate cancer has added another layer of complexity to the ongoing investigations into his final months in office. Despite his condition, the former president has maintained an optimistic outlook.
These health revelations have sparked renewed interest in examining the decision-making processes during Biden's last days in office, particularly regarding his use of presidential pardoning power.
The dual investigations by the House Oversight Committee and Trump's DOJ signal an unprecedented level of scrutiny into a former president's mental competency and executive actions. Both probes specifically target the use of autopen for pardons and other official documents.
Chairman Comer's investigation continues to expand, with the committee seeking to interview additional former White House officials and campaign staff members. The involvement of Trump's DOJ adds significant weight to these inquiries.
These investigations aim to determine whether Biden's staff potentially overstepped their authority and if proper protocols were followed during the execution of presidential pardons and other executive actions during his final months in office.
