Pro-energy group demands probe into Biden climate orders allegedly signed by autopen
A pro-energy group is raising concerns over several Biden administration executive actions related to climate that it believes were signed using an autopen, without any public confirmation from former President Joe Biden. Power the Future, a nonprofit organization advocating for American energy jobs, reviewed eight significant executive orders that it says were foundational shifts in domestic energy policy. These include an Arctic drilling ban in 2023, a commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050, a mandate for “clean energy” AI centers, and an offshore drilling ban.
Daniel Turner, the founder and executive director of Power The Future, expressed worry that Biden did not speak publicly about these executive orders, leading to suspicions that they were signed by autopen without his knowledge. The group sent letters to various government agencies and oversight committees, calling for an investigation to determine who made these decisions, drafted the orders, and ultimately signed them.
The use of an autopen, a device programmed to replicate a person’s signature, has been a topic of discussion among Republicans, particularly regarding Biden’s mental acuity during his presidency. Recent claims in the book “Original Sin” have fueled concerns that key policies may have been implemented without Biden’s awareness or approval.
While former President Donald Trump has questioned the validity of Biden’s actions signed through an autopen, legal challenges are deemed unlikely to succeed. Constitutional scholar Jonathan Turley explained that presidents are permitted to use autopens, and courts are unlikely to assume a conspiracy.
Power The Future’s letter also referenced House Speaker Mike Johnson’s statement that Biden appeared to forget signing an order to pause LNG exports during a meeting. Additionally, a report suggested that the majority of documents signed by Biden were done so using an autopen.
The group argues that the American people deserve transparency regarding who was signing these executive orders behind closed doors. Turner emphasized that the autopen scandal raises doubts about the validity of these climate-related executive orders and called for a thorough investigation by the DOJ to uncover any violations of trust and potential fraud.
In conclusion, Power The Future continues to push for accountability and transparency in the decision-making process of key energy policies. The investigation into the use of autopen for signing executive orders underscores the importance of ensuring that actions taken by the government are done with full presidential knowledge and approval.
