‘I was unaware of who gave final approval to use autopen,’ top Biden aide admits

Neera Tanden, the former director of Biden’s Domestic Policy Council, testified for more than five hours on Tuesday before the House Oversight Committee. During her closed-door testimony, Tanden revealed that she was authorized to direct autopen signatures on behalf of President Biden but was unaware of who in the president’s inner circle was giving final clearance for the use of the automatic signature tool.

Tanden, who served as staff secretary and senior advisor to the former president between 2021 and 2023, explained that the approval process for autopen signatures was inherited from previous administrations. She mentioned sending decision memos to members of Biden’s inner circle for approval but admitted that she did not know the specific individuals who were finalizing these decisions.

Despite her limited interactions with President Biden, Tanden described a process that kept her in the dark about the approval chain for autopen signatures. She testified that she was unaware of the actions or approvals that occurred between the time she sent a decision memo and when she received it back with the necessary approval.

When questioned about discussions regarding Biden’s health or fitness to serve as president, Tanden stated that she did not engage in such conversations. Lawmakers presented a list of names of officials with whom she could have potentially discussed these topics, but Tanden denied speaking to any of them during her time as a top aide.

Tanden, who did not speak to reporters before her testimony, expressed her willingness to cooperate with the ongoing investigation upon exiting the Capitol. She emphasized that she answered every question during the thorough process and denied any efforts to hide President Biden’s condition.

In addition to Tanden, Biden’s former White House physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, is set to appear for a deposition before House Oversight lawmakers after being subpoenaed by Republicans. The Oversight Committee also plans to hear from other high-level staffers, including Anthony Bernal, Annie Tomasini, and Ashley Williams.

Republicans on the Oversight Committee are seeking interviews with officials who were close confidants of President Biden, such as former chief of staff Ron Klain and Anita Dunn. The investigation into the use of autopen signatures by the Biden administration continues, with key figures providing testimony to shed light on the decision-making process within the White House.