Columbia News

Senator Eric Schmitt posted a series of tweets on September 9, 2025, raising concerns about the process used by the White House to approve clemency decisions during President Biden's administration.

In one tweet, Schmitt claimed that the procedure for using an autopen—a device that replicates a person's signature—had become lax within the White House. He wrote, "The autopen procedure became so shoddy and slapdash that even some in the WH started demanding more proof that Biden was actually approving these decisions." (September 9, 2025).

He further questioned the legitimacy of recent clemency decisions, stating, "Instead of Biden personally signing off on this decision, we have an email from 10 days after the alleged decisional meeting from a staffer who wasn't even in the room herself. The Biden WH was a game of telephone that ended with clemency for brutal murderers and rapists." (September 9, 2025).

In another post from the same day, Schmitt expressed uncertainty regarding which pardons were directly approved by President Biden. He said, "We don't know which, if any, pardons Biden approved. I have a lot of questions and am going to continue to push for answers, while sharing all my findings." (September 9, 2025).

The use of autopen signatures by U.S. presidents has previously been subject to scrutiny and debate. The device is often used for efficiency but has raised questions about authenticity when applied to important documents such as executive orders or clemency grants.

Senator Eric Schmitt serves as a member of the United States Senate and has been vocal on issues related to government transparency and accountability.