In a move that’s both shocking and baffling, former President Biden’s administration found itself at the center of controversy over a staggering 4,000 pardons signed by an auto pen during the last three months of his presidency. Yes, you read that correctly. The device meant for signing routine documents took center stage in a whirlwind of pardons that raise more questions than answers. Some might say it’s an impressive record, but we can all agree it’s not the sort of achievement one would hang on the wall.
The pardons included controversial figures without much transparency or due diligence, sidestepping the Justice Department in a rush to grant clemency. It’s worth chuckling at the notion that this was just a typical day at the office. Critics have pointed out that using the auto pen for such major decisions turns the solemn grace of a presidential pardon into little more than a bureaucratic rubber stamp. Why bother with meticulous vetting when you can delegate the responsibility to a machine, right?
One particularly eye-popping pardon was granted to a convicted killer named Adrian, who brutally murdered a mother and her child. Understandably, the family is incensed, feeling like their trauma is being relived due to what appears to be a gross administrative oversight or a ridiculous act of clemency. While it’s unclear why the Biden administration decided to prioritize this particular pardon, the family is left grappling with the decision, demanding answers while government officials point fingers elsewhere.
This use of pardons ostensibly aimed at addressing disparities in drug-related sentences, particularly those involving crack versus powder cocaine. Although there’s an argument to be made about reforming unfair sentencing disparities, let’s be clear: pardoning a child killer isn’t about rectifying a crack cocaine sentencing imbalance—it’s a grotesque mishandling of what was supposed to be a focus on justice reform. Instead, it highlights a half-baked attempt filled with potential for real harm to victims’ families.
Ultimately, this debacle serves as a glaring illustration of a bureaucratic machine running amok. Perhaps the focus should shift from the distractions of auto-pens and unfathomable clemency decisions to more pressing issues that concern the American people, like making their groceries cheaper. While the public may not have expected much fanfare from a lame duck presidency, this astounding auto-pen parade of pardons is certainly not the swan song anyone expected—or wanted.
