The Associated Press has inadvertently drawn attention to its own hypocrisy with its latest report concerning President Donald Trump’s pardons. This incident unfolded last Friday when the outlet claimed that Trump’s pardons issued on November 7 were signed using an “autopen,” a machine that replicates signatures. According to the AP, two handwriting experts asserted that the signatures on multiple pardons were identical. This prompted the Trump administration to replace the copies of those pardons shortly thereafter.
It is important to note that the timing of these questions comes as a renewed focus on clemency cases arises, particularly following Trump’s claims of unfamiliarity with Changpeng Zhao, a prominent crypto billionaire he pardoned. In contrast, allegations surrounding the Biden administration’s use of an autopen have attracted significant attention. Reports indicate that Biden’s aides employed this device to authorize thousands of pardons without the President’s explicit consent, raising doubts about his mental acuity.
By day five of Biden’s presidency, it reportedly became standard practice to use the autopen for pardons and administrative actions, with little evidence suggesting Biden’s personal approval of these decisions. This contrasts sharply with Trump’s claims that he personally signed eight of the nine controversial pardons. Trump aide Will Scharf emphatically stated, “We don’t autopen pardons in this Administration,” challenging the validity of the AP’s claims as “100% fake news.”
In defense of the administration, Justice Department spokesperson Chad Gilmartin addressed the identical signatures claimed by the AP, attributing the issue to a technical error stemming from staffing shortages caused by a government shutdown. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson criticized the media for fixating on what she deemed a non-story instead of examining the extensive use of autopen by Biden’s team. She remarked, “The media should spend their time investigating Joe Biden’s countless auto penned pardons.”
The absurdity of the AP’s narrative shines through when considering the context. Even if Trump had indeed used an autopen for nine pardons, it pales in comparison to the overwhelming number issued by the Biden administration. Records show that Biden has granted over 4,200 pardons and commutations during his presidency, with more than half being summoned via autopen, as highlighted by an analysis from the Heritage Foundation.
The House Oversight Committee released a report suggesting that Biden’s aides were exercising presidential powers without his authorization. In contrast, Trump’s administration has not faced similar allegations regarding the signing of pardons. The AP’s attempt to create an uproar over Trump’s signing highlights the incomplete picture the media often presents and raises questions about their bias, particularly given their past support of the Biden presidency.
In conclusion, the Associated Press has not only illuminated its biases through the reporting of purported scandals but also underscored the glaring differences between Trump’s and Biden’s approaches to presidential pardons. The attempts to portray Trump in a negative light only serve to distract from the more pressing issues surrounding the current administration’s use of authority. The narrative constructed by the AP has not found traction, as many recognize the disparity in the handling of pardons under the two administrations.
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