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Biden’s auto-pen pardons disturbed DOJ brass, docs show, raising questions whether they are legally binding
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New documents and communications between Biden White House staff and career officials at the Justice Department prompted scrutiny of the legality of former President Joe Biden’s thousands of last-minute pardons.
The Oversight Project shared documents obtained from the Trump DOJ with Fox News Digital showing that a career prosecutor warned Biden’s inner circle that the administration’s pardon process was unorthodox and legally troubling.
In the most scrutinized e-mail, then-Assistant Deputy Attorney General Bradley Weinsheimer wrote a group email to several executive office staff members on Jan. 18 asking questions about the more than 2,500 pardons.
«[T]he White House has described those who received commutations as people convicted of non-violent drug offenses. I think you should stop saying that because it is untrue or at least misleading,» Weinsheimer said.
‘SHOULD BE PROSECUTED’: HOUSE REPUBLICANS ZERO IN ON BIDEN AUTOPEN PARDONS AFTER BOMBSHELL REPORT
An autopen, left, and President Joe Biden (Getty Images; Fox News)
«As you know, even with the exceedingly limited review we were permitted to do of the individuals we believed you might be considering for commutation action, we initially identified 19 that were highly problematic,» he continued.
He cited convicts Terrence Richardson and Ferrone Claiborne, who were included in the clemency grants, and noted the DOJ received «voluminous» objections from victims’ families and law enforcement as the men had been «sentenced to life imprisonment for drug trafficking offenses during which a police officer was killed.»
That, according to Oversight Project vice president Kyle Brosnan, shows DOJ was concerned about the «vague» construct of Biden’s pardons and how they appeared to be «illegally delegated» to staff. They also left the DOJ wondering at times which offenses, for people with multiple convictions, were specifically being expunged.
«Later in the email, he was like, ‘Look, I read the statement you put out in the president’s name, saying you’ve released a bunch of non-violent drug offenders. You’ve got murderers on your list today. So I’m trying to figure out what the president wants here for this funky warrant.’»
Discussing other documents received, Brosnan and attorney Sam Dewey cited a spreadsheet of convicts with «offenses described to the Department of Justice» for the second of several «collective» or catch-all warrants.
NEW FOIA ON MIGRANTS POTENTIALLY AVOIDING THE DRAFT COULD OPEN NEW DEPORTATION PREDICATE: ATTORNEYS
«I think it best that we receive a statement or direction from the President as to the meaning of the warrant language,» Weinsheimer wrote to White House staff. «That will allow us to give full effect to the commutation warrant in the manner intended by the president.»
There was ultimately no explanation for what the offenses or the proverbial descriptions were, according to the document tranche, Brosnan said, adding that the DOJ official suggested to Biden staff that «you should stop saying [pardonees were mostly ‘nonviolent drug offen[ders]’] because it is untrue or at least misleading.»
Brosnan explained that a spreadsheet of convicts, said to be attached to one of the e-mails, came from the U.S. Sentencing Commission – and only the president has the power to grant pardons. Treating it otherwise, he said, would amount to an illegal delegation of presidential authority.
BIDEN DEFENDS CONTROVERSIAL AUTOPEN USE FOR MASS CLEMENCY DECISIONS IN NYT INTERVIEW: ‘A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE’
To that end, Brosnan pointed to New York Times interviews with Biden in July, wherein the paper reported, «Mr. Biden did not individually approve each name for the categorical pardons that applied to large numbers of people, he and aides confirmed.»
«Rather, after extensive discussion of different possible criteria, he signed off on the standards he wanted to be used to determine which convicts would qualify for a reduction in sentence.»
«High-profile» pardon recipients like retired Gen. Mark Milley were discussed directly with aides.
«Biden did not pardon individual people, but laid out categories of types of people to release and left it to the staff to figure out who meets that criteria,» Brosnan said, adding that many warrant documents were also found to be auto-penned.
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Dewey told Fox News Digital the situation was «worse than that» – because «literally no one,» including DOJ officials, «understands what the [aforementioned pardon] criteria are.»
«You generally don’t see people write emails like this,» he said. «This isn’t a ‘CYA’ – this is an ‘I’m going to do a Pontius Pilate routine because this is a drug deal and I want to make very sure it doesn’t come back on me.»
The entire situation, Dewey said, also has a precedent for such pardons being considered «invalid» going back to «before we were even a country.»
«If the pardon is invalid, it falls, and then you proceed as if there was no pardon.»
Biden previously defended his pardons, saying that he wanted to undo «disproportionately long sentences compared to the sentences they would receive today under current law, policy, and practice.»
«[This] clemency action provides relief for individuals who received lengthy sentences based on discredited distinctions between crack and powder cocaine, as well as outdated sentencing enhancements for drug crimes,» Biden said in a statement.
«This action is an important step toward righting historic wrongs, correcting sentencing disparities, and providing deserving individuals the opportunity to return to their families and communities after spending far too much time behind bars.»
Fox News Digital reached out to DOJ and a representative for Biden for further comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
justice department,joe biden,white house,crime world,police and law enforcement
INTERNACIONAL
DHS juggles ‘mass deportation’ push with Helene relief, adds $124M after Biden backlash
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The Department of Homeland Security released a second round of August funding for Hurricane Helene relief this week, even as the agency directs increased resources toward President Donald Trump’s «mass deportation» framework.
Secretary Kristi Noem’s latest $28 million allocation formally offered Sunday brings the month’s total to $124 million in funds from FEMA, which sits within DHS, for the deadly Category 4 hurricane that made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend and devastated the Smokies.
The funding will go to road repairs and critical infrastructure restoration – which is especially needed in North Carolina and Tennessee.
In that regard, a crucial stretch of Interstate 40 washed into the Pigeon River near that state line — cutting off the lone major trucking route over the mountains, as large vehicles are prohibited on Tail of the Dragon and other regional crossings.
SENATOR PETER WELCH: I’M A DEMOCRAT AND WE NEED TO FIX FEMA WITH LOCAL CONTROL
Devastation from Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, 2024. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
FEMA funds have also been allocated to debris removal and «life and property» concerns.
«North Carolina families suffering from this unimaginable tragedy were cruelly ignored by the Biden administration,» Noem deputy Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.
«Under President Trump and Secretary Noem’s leadership, FEMA is moving faster than ever before to get Americans the relief they need. This move to continue supporting North Carolina victims of Hurricane Helene is a testament to that fact.»
Trump lambasted former President Joe Biden’s initial response to Helene, claiming he «didn’t like reports that [he was] getting about the federal government.»
Trump alleged that more conservative areas – of which the western half of North Carolina has many, with the notable exception of Asheville – were wrongly being underserved by the feds.
Biden, however, rejected the claim, cutting off a reporter who asked him about it at the time.
NOEM SAYS CRITICISM OF FEDERAL RESPONSE TO TEXAS FLOODING IS ‘ALL POLITICS’: ‘DISSERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY’
A stretch of eastbound Interstate 40 in Cocke County, Tenn., near the North Carolina line, collapsed into the raging Pigeon River during Hurricane Helene, stymieing regional commerce. (Brianna Paciorka/Knoxville News-Sentinel/IMAGN)
«He’s lying, and the governor told him he was lying. I’ve spoken to the governor. I spent time with him and he told me [Trump is] lying. I don’t know why he does this,» said Biden, who had recently spoken with then-North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp around that time.
Republicans also lambasted then-DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas when he claimed FEMA was running out of funds amid allegations the agency spent large sums on the migrant crisis, according to the New York Post.
However, Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., who represents a swath of storm-ravaged communities, said in a «fact-check» on his congressional website that FEMA did not divert any disaster response to the border or to foreign aid.
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«FEMA’s non-disaster-related presence at the border has always been of major concern to me, even before Hurricane Helene, and I will continue to condemn their deployment of personnel to the southern border, but we must separate the two issues,» Edwards said, while adding that the agency informed him they had enough money for recovery needs.
«Secretary Mayorkas’ statement indicating otherwise was an irresponsible attempt to politicize a tragedy for personal gain,» Edwards said.
Trump later told a campaign rally in Pennsylvania that Biden’s response to Helene was worse than what followed Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Then-President George W. Bush was memorably lambasted for praising then-FEMA Director Michael Brown’s response – remarking «Brownie, you’re doing a heckuva job,» Bush said while surveying recovery efforts in Mobile.
diversity,drones,donald trump,tennessee,north carolina,homeland security
INTERNACIONAL
María Corina Machado agradeció a Milei haber declarado grupo terrorista al Cartel de los Soles
María Corina Machado, líder política opositora al régimen dictatorial de Nicolás Maduro, agradeció este martes al presidente argentino Javier Milei el decreto que declaró como grupo terrorista al Cartel de los Soles.
Machado, perseguida por la dictadura de Maduro e imposibilitada de presentarse a elecciones, remarcó el compromiso del jefe de estado argentino que se sumó de esta forma a lo actuado por Ecuador y por Paraguay en las últimas semanas. «Querido Presidente Milei, en nombre de los venezolanos le agradezco su firme y decidido apoyo a la causa justa por la Libertad y la democracia de Venezuela, así como el respaldo y cariño del pueblo de la Argentina“, indica el texto publicado en X.
“Nuestro pueblo ha enfrentado con inmensa valentía y dignidad a un régimen criminal narco-terrorista que ha provocado intencionalmente miseria, violencia y la huida de millones de ciudadanos”, subrayó Machado.
La líder política de la oposición venezolana enfatizó además la voluntad de cambio definitivo que atraviesa el pueblo de su país, sumido en una severa crisis humama, social, política y económica. “Hoy tenemos una sociedad unida, organizada y decidida a conquistar su Libertad para traer a nuestros hijos de vuelta a casa”, dijo.
“Sabemos que también contamos con el apoyo de los pueblos hermanos de las Américas y con los genuinos líderes democráticos del mundo. ¡Venezuela será libre!“, concluyó.
El Gobierno argentino declaró organización terrorista al “Cártel de los Soles”, que comandan Maduro y Diosdado Cabello. La administración Milei dispuso esta mañana incluir a ese grupo narcocriminal en el Registro Público de Personas y Entidades vinculadas a Actos de Terrorismo y su Financiamiento (RePET).
La declaración de “organización terrorista”, según informó el Gobierno, responde a los compromisos internacionales asumidos por la República Argentina en materia de prevención y combate al terrorismo. Y se enmarca en la normativa vigente y busca fortalecer la protección del sistema financiero nacional.
La resolución fue adoptada tras una coordinación entre el Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, que encabeza Gerardo Werthein y el Ministerio de Seguridad, de Patricia Bullrich.
“Declaramos al Cártel de los Soles como organización terrorista y narcocriminal. Maduro y su séquito son narcoterroristas. Ni en la Argentina ni en ningún lugar del mundo van a poder llevar a cabo sus actividades criminales. Para este Gobierno, el que las hace, las paga. Acá o donde sea”, afirmó Bullrich, en un mensaje publicado en su cuenta de X.
El 14 de agosto, días después de que el Tesoro de los Estados Unidos dispusiera una recompensa de 50 millones de dólares para quien aportara información que lleve a la captura de Maduro, el gobierno de Daniel Noboa designó al Cartel de los Soles como organización terrorista.
La disposición se formalizó mediante un decreto ejecutivo y forma parte del estado de “conflicto armado interno” que el mandatario mantiene desde inicios de 2024.
Con la inclusión del Cartel de los Soles en la lista de organizaciones terroristas de Ecuador, el gobierno de Noboa amplía su ofensiva contra las redes criminales que operan en el país.
La estrategia, respaldada por operativos conjuntos de Policía y Fuerzas Armadas, ha implicado detenciones masivas y la ocupación de territorios considerados bajo control de grupos armados. Las autoridades no han precisado el alcance de la presencia del Cartel de los Soles en Ecuador, pero el CNI deberá presentar un informe con sus hallazgos y coordinar acciones con agencias extranjeras.
Por su parte, días después, fue el gobierno de Santiago Peña en Paraguay el que dispuso una medida similar. El decreto presidencial fue firmado el pasado 22 de agosto. En él, Peña señala: “Desígnase a la organización delictiva transnacional denominada ‘Cartel de los Soles’ como organización terrorista internacional. Refréndese el Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores“.
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La hiperlujosa villa de verano de la reina Máxima y el rey Guillermo sobre el Egeo pone incómodos a los holandeses
La casa de la discordia
Intervino el gobierno griego
La heredera holandesa, la princesa Amalia, junto a su mamá. Foto: EFELa isla de Spetses
Máxima sigue de vacaciones
Los reyes con sus tres hijas y su perro Mambo. Foto: EFE
La realeza española asiste al casamiento del príncipe Nicolás de Grecia, en Spetses, en 2010. Foto: Reuters¿Una casa más cerca?
Qué dijo Ariel García Furfaro en su declaración
“Unidos”: Andrés Gil rompió el silencio y habló de su romance con Gimena Accardi
Tras el escándalo, el Gobierno quiere que la ANDIS pase al Ministerio de Salud para controlar las licitaciones
Los funcionarios Lugones y Vilches evitaron dar explicaciones en Diputados por la polémica en el área de Discapacidad
En medio del escándalo por los audios de Spagnuolo, el Gobierno modificará el sistema de contrataciones de la Agencia Nacional de Discapacidad
Tomás Palacios camino al Santos de Vojvoda y Neymar
Chile organizó una colecta para que la familia del hincha que fue operado por fractura de cráneo pueda viajar a la Argentina
Confirmado: Susana Giménez vuelve con un programa de los más esperados
El fuerte cruce entre Victoria Villarruel y Mayra Mendoza por el caso de los audios
