Let's talk about Biden’s pardons being ‘void’ according to republicans....

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Belle of the Ranch 4 min 1 speaker 6 chapters transcribed 1 month ago

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What Republican committee claims are Biden’s pardons void and why?

Belle of the Ranch 0:01

Well, howdy there internet people it spell again. So today we're going to talk about Biden's pardons being void according to Republicans. Okay. So a Republican-led oversight committee is bringing up the autopen thing again. More jingling keys for the bass. And they seem to have concluded that Biden's pardons are void. They sent a letter to the Attorney General, saying the committee quote. Deems void President Biden's executive actions that were signed using the autopen. And the committee determines that action by the Department of Justice is warranted.

How does President Biden respond to accusations that he didn’t sign his pardons?

Belle of the Ranch 0:42

to address the legal consequences of that determination. They're trying to suggest that Biden was impaired and that somebody else was making the decisions. The committee also said there was quote No record demonstrating President Biden himself made all of the executive decisions that were attributed to him. Except, of course, President Biden saying he did. Biden called those suggesting he didn't make the decisions quote liars. And when this first came up, Biden said quote. Everybody knows how vindictive he is, so we knew that they do what they're doing now. I consciously made all those decisions.

What does the U.S. Constitution say about the president’s pardoning power?

Belle of the Ranch 1:27

Beyond that, you have another statement from Biden, saying quote Let me be clear. I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation and proclamations. Ciao. What does the Constitution say about this? Article two, section two, clause one of the Constitution says quote He shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States. There's no requirement for a signature.

Do historical presidents use mechanical signatures for pardons and other actions?

Belle of the Ranch 2:02

Unlike how the Constitution requires a signature for legislation. Okay, so what's history say about this? It doesn't matter. No, seriously, it doesn't matter. Not just have multiple presidents like Obama, Kennedy, Lincoln, and Jefferson used mechanical means to sign documents. There's literally no requirement that pardons be signed. Much less be signed by the president, with a notary and clear documentation or whatever. In fact, them being signed by the president is kind of a new thing. In the eighteen hundreds, pardons were signed by the Secretary of State or somebody working for state.

What legal memos and court rulings say about autopen signatures for pardons?

Belle of the Ranch 2:45

In nineteen twenty nine, the Office of the Solicitor General, which is DOJ, said pardons quote. Need not have the president's autograph. If it shall bear the facsimile signature and be certified by an official having charge of the records as having been issued by the president, or by his direction, that shall be sufficient. In two thousand five, the Office of Legal Counsel at the DOJ put out a memo saying quote The president need not personally perform the physical act of affixing his signature to a bill he approves and decides to sign in order for the bill to become law. Rather, the president may sign a bill within the meaning of Article I Section seven by directing a subordinate to affix the president's signature to such a bill.

Belle of the Ranch 3:39

For example, by autopen. If an auto pen is good enough for something that requires a signature according to the Constitution, It's certainly good enough for something that doesn't require a signature.

Why might Republicans push the pardons issue amid other political battles?

Belle of the Ranch 3:53

And just last year, the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit said that quote. Nothing in the Constitution restricts the President's exercise of the clemency power to communications that have been rendered through a documented writing. At the end of the day, this is likely to amount to a whole lot of nothing. There's not a mechanism to revoke a pardon. And with Biden saying he did it, and the pardons being delivered, that's kind of a closed case. But the GOP will probably try to distract from their shutdown, SNAP, ACA tax credits, the ballroom, the files, and so on with this. So expect to hear about it. Anyway, it's just a thought. Y'all have a good day.

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