The pardon pen is mightier than the conviction. Or the potential for conviction. Unless that pen in question is something called an autopen, or so contends The Donald.
What is an autopen?
An autopen is a device that affixes a person’s signature to documents in bulk so that an individual doing the signing can save time and energy in completing a particular task.
Mr. Trump told reporters on Sunday, March 17, that last-minute so-called blanket pardons issued by President Biden are not legal because they were signed by an autopen. Some of the pardons cited include preemptive pardons granted Dr. Anthony Fauci as well as to members of the January 6 Select Committee.
For several decades presidents of both parties have used autopens to sign documents for a variety of reasons without question as to their legality.
There’s no word as to whether the 1600 or so blanket pardons granted convicted J6 rioters were signed using autopens, or if they were in fact signed at all.