House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, is probing former President Joe Biden’s mental capacity, zeroing in on his use of an autopen for critical documents, as Just the News reports.

The investigation questions whether Biden’s senior staff can confirm he understood what he was signing, especially after his faltering performance in a June 2024 presidential debate.

Comer’s inquiry seeks to challenge the legality of some clemency acts and executive orders, raising eyebrows about the former president’s mental sharpness.

Biden’s debate appearance, marked by halting speech and factual missteps, fueled doubts about his cognitive abilities. He wrongly claimed no U.S. troops died worldwide this decade and struggled to find words, cementing concerns about his mental fitness. These public stumbles, coupled with years of Republican scrutiny over his memory lapses, set the stage for Comer’s investigation.

Biden’s debate fallout sparks scrutiny

One month after the June 2024 debate, Biden exited the presidential race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. His shaky performance, described by political insider David Axelrod as “disoriented,” triggered widespread discussion about his ability to lead. “He seemed a little disoriented,” Axelrod noted, suggesting panic set in among Biden’s allies.

Questions about Biden’s mental capacity aren’t new. Republicans have long pointed to his fumbling speech and spotty memory in public settings. The Biden administration’s tight control over his press access only deepened suspicions of a cover-up.

In February 2024, then-special counsel Robert Hur’s report on Biden’s handling of classified documents added fuel to the fire. Hur cited Biden’s poor memory, noting he couldn’t recall his vice-presidential years or when his son Beau died. This report, declining to press charges due to Biden’s “sympathetic” elderly demeanor, handed Comer a springboard for his probe.

Autopen use raises elgal questions

Comer’s investigation, launched after Biden left office, zeroes in on the autopen’s frequent use for signing documents in his final months.

“It’s questionable whether it’s legal to use an autopen on a legal document,” Comer said, arguing that Biden’s unawareness could invalidate those actions. The probe aims to uncover whether senior officials hid Biden’s mental decline while relying on the autopen.

Neera Tanden, former director of Biden’s Domestic Policy Council, testified in June that she authorized autopen use but didn’t know who gave final approval. She sent decision memos to Biden’s inner circle, with no visibility into the process that followed. This opaque system, Comer argues, casts doubt on whether Biden was truly in charge.

Biden’s aides, including White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor, former deputy chief of staff Annie Tomasini, and Jill Biden’s chief of staff Anthony Bernal, were subpoenaed. All three invoked their Fifth Amendment rights, refusing to answer questions about Biden’s health. “He has to plead the Fifth to avoid self-incrimination,” Comer said of O’Connor, calling it “pretty damning evidence.”

Legal challenges loom over Biden pardons

Biden defended his autopen use in a New York Times interview, insisting, “I made every decision.” Yet he admitted to not personally approving each categorical pardon, delegating to staff -- a revelation Comer seized on. “He admitted … he didn’t look at all those pardons,” Comer said, suggesting Biden’s detachment undermines their validity.

Former Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz predicted legal battles over the autopen-signed documents. “Did he pardon? Or did somebody else just write the signature without really getting approval?” Dershowitz asked, noting courts will scrutinize whether Biden knowingly approved each action.

Dershowitz further explained that the Constitution requires the president to “sign” bills, raising questions about autopen use. “An autopen would raise a real problem if he signed it by autopen, which is not a real signature,” he said. This legal gray area could spell trouble for Biden’s clemency acts.

Probe pursues Biden's inner circle

Comer’s investigation paints a picture of a presidency propped up by aides shielding Biden’s limitations. “These Biden inner circle people haven’t been able to prove that Joe Biden knew what was being signed,” Comer said, pointing to their silence as evidence of a cover-up. The refusal of key aides to testify only deepens the suspicion.

Tanden’s testimony revealed a startling lack of direct contact with Biden despite her high-ranking role. She relied on his inner circle to greenlight autopen signatures, exposing a process shrouded in secrecy. This detachment, Comer argues, suggests Biden was a figurehead, not a decision-maker.

The probe’s findings could ripple through Biden’s legacy, potentially unraveling pardons and orders signed under questionable circumstances.

While Biden’s defenders may cry political vendetta, the unanswered questions about his mental fitness demand scrutiny. Comer’s pursuit, though divisive, underscores a core conservative principle: accountability must prevail, even for former presidents.