GOP bill mandates personal signing of presidential pardons

A Republican lawmaker is proposing a new bill that would require U.S. presidents to personally sign all pardons. Representative Buddy Carter from Georgia plans to introduce this legislation on Friday. The bill comes after former President Donald Trump criticized President Joe Biden for allegedly using an autopen, a device that replicates signatures, to sign pardons. Carter's proposed law, called the SIGN Act, seeks to ban the use of mechanical signatures for pardons or reprieves. He argues that Biden's use of an autopen makes the pardons invalid. Carter stated, "The SIGN Pardons Act will restore the integrity of this important role in our justice system." Trump has also claimed that Biden's recent pardons are "void" because they were signed with an autopen. He suggested that if Biden used this device for signing pardons, it raises questions about his involvement in other important decisions during his presidency. Reports from a conservative think tank suggest that many official documents signed by Biden may have used the autopen. Trump has accused Biden of being unaware of the pardons, saying he did not approve them. The White House has stated that Trump does not use an autopen for signing important documents like pardons. Additionally, an energy group has asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate whether Biden used the autopen to sign energy-related orders. The use of an autopen has been legally supported in the past, but questions about its appropriateness continue to arise.