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PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: The Department of Justice (DOJ) is investigating former President Joe Biden’s pardons and use of autopen signatures.
👥 Who’s Involved: Former President Biden, U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin, the Oversight Project (Heritage Foundation), and President Donald J. Trump.
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📍 Where & When: Investigation revealed Monday email; events tied to Biden’s presidency and final day in office.
💬 Key Quote: “The investigation involves whether Biden was competent and whether others were taking advantage of him through use of AutoPen or other means,” wrote Ed Martin.
⚠️ Impact: Focus includes pardons granted to Biden’s family members, high-profile Democrats and neoconservatives, and 37 federal inmates. Questions arise over the validity of the pardons and the potential misuse of the autopen.
IN FULL:
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has launched an inquiry into former President Joe Biden’s use of autopen signatures and the validity of pardons issued during his presidency, according to an email reviewed by Reuters. U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin’s correspondence highlights concerns about Biden’s competence and whether others may have exploited his position through autopen or other mechanisms.
The investigation reportedly centers on preemptive pardons Biden granted to several family members and clemency decisions for 37 federal inmates, changing their sentences from death penalties to life imprisonment. Among those pardoned on Biden’s final day in office were his brother Jim, sister-in-law Sara, sister Valerie and her husband John Owens, brother Francis, Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired General Mark Milley, and members of the House January 6 committee, such as Liz Cheney.
The Oversight Project, a division of the conservative Heritage Foundation, has previously raised concerns about Biden’s frequent use of an autopen for his official signature. The group stated in March, “We gathered every document we could find with Biden’s signature over the course of his presidency. All used the same autopen signature except for the announcement that the former President was dropping out of the race last year.” They questioned who controlled the autopen.
President Donald J. Trump has also claimed Biden used an autopen for pardons, alleging Biden was unaware of the actions. Martin has remarked, “I do think that the Biden pardons need some scrutiny. And they need scrutiny because we want pardons to matter and to be accepted and to be something that’s used correctly.”
PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: U.S. Senator John Fetterman has broken ranks with fellow Democrats, praising President Donald J. Trump for scrapping the old Iran nuclear deal.
👤Who’s Involved: Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), President Donald J. Trump, Democrats, Iran.
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🧾Key Quote: “I really do think, now, Trump did the right thing to break that agreement,” said Senator Fetterman.
📌Significance: Fetterman continues to rebuff Democrats on Middle East issues, particularly emphasising his pro-Israel stance amid a massive wave of pro-Palestine activism among the left.
IN FULL:
Democrat Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) has praised President Donald J. Trump’s Middle East policies, saying the Republican president was right to scrap the Obama-Biden Iran deal and push for a new agreement placing greater restrictions on the Islamist nation’s ability to enrich uranium. Notably, Fetterman’s comments put him at odds with most of his fellow Democrats, a fact he openly admits.
“I wasn’t really allowed to disagree, politically, with the original agreement on Iran,” Fetterman said during a panel discussion alongside Senator Dave McCormick (R-PA) on June 2. “I really do think, now, Trump did the right thing to break that agreement,” he added.
President Trump scrapped the Iran nuclear deal and re-imposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic during his first term in office. Known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the Iran deal was seen by critics as overly weak on enforcement and would likely do little to prevent the country from developing a nuclear weapons program. While former President Joe Biden did not entirely reinstate he agreement, his government lifted sanctions on Iran and essentially allowed its nuclear program to continue unabated.
After retaking the White House in 2024, President Trump announced he would be reinstating maximum pressure on Iran with aggressive sanctions aimed at the country’s oil industry. However, Trump has also been clear that he would seek a new agreement with Iran to end its nuclear weapons development and subject the country to stringent International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) oversight. In March, President Trump told the Iranians they must negotiate a new nuclear deal with the United States or face consequences. “The other alternative [to negotiations] is we have to do something,” he said, suggesting the possibility of U.S.-backed strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Senator Fetterman’s comments are not unusual for him, as he has taken a pro-Israel stance since the October 7 massacres by the terrorist group Hamas, which provoked the current conflict in Gaza. Fetterman has also backed, at least in part, Trump’s efforts to reshore American jobs and was the first Democrat to meet with the America First leader following the 2024 election.
Following the January meeting at Mar-a-Lago, Trump called Fetterman “fascinating” and said, “He’s a commonsense person. He’s not liberal or conservative. He’s just a commonsense person, which is beautiful.”
Fetterman is not the only figure on the left to praise Trump’s policies. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), the former far-left presidential candidate, surprisingly praised the Trump administration’s border policies.
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