Republican members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee are demanding the Justice Department launch an investigation into former President Joe Biden's use of an autopen to sign government documents, in its newly released report that questions Biden's mental state and executive actions.

In the report released Oct. 28, the committee makes searing critiques of the administration, alleging White House aides engaged in a cover-up to hide what a decline in Biden's cognitive ability, and saying that the administration's use of the autopen allowed staff to enact policies without the president's knowledge. The report, which echoes claims made by President Donald Trump and Republican allies, concludes without presenting new evidence – instead contending former aides' refusal to participate in their investigation amounted to a cover-up, and asking the Department of Justice to step in.

In a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi on Oct. 28, committee chair Rep. James Comer requested the Department of Justice investigate "all executive actions" made by Biden and asked the agency to determine whether the former White House physician and two top aides committed "criminal activity."

The report questioned whether Biden's executive actions were valid, pointing to the use of the autopen, a device that mechanically replicates a signature, which presidents have used for decades. Trump told reporters in March that he has used it for "only very unimportant papers."

The GOP committee members concluded in their months-long investigation that Biden's executive actions "must be reviewed to determine whether legal action is necessary to ameliorate consequences" of what they allege could be "illegitimate" pardons or executive actions. The committee also concluded it considered "void" Biden’s executive actions that were signed using the autopen; however, it does not have the authority to invalidate executive actions.

"The Committee finds numerous executive actions−particularly clemency actions−taken during the Biden Administration were illegitimate," the report said. "Therefore, the Committee urges the Department of Justice to investigate all executive actions attributed to President Joe Biden."

The report also singles out two aides who served under Biden, after they refused to answer questions before the Republican-led House Oversight Committee during its investigation. Senior aides Anthony Bernal and Annie Tomasini, along with Biden's physician, Kevin O’Connor, invoked the Fifth Amendment when they were called to testify. Comer sent a letter to the chair of the District of Columbia Board of Medicine, urging it investigate O'Connor, in addition to pursuing the DOJ investigations.

The former president has bristled at the suggestion that his administration abused the autopen, defending himself in a July 13 New York Times interview.

"The autopen is, you know, is legal. As you know, other presidents used it, including Trump," Biden said, according to excerpts of the interview published by the Times. "They’re liars," Biden said when asked about Republicans' allegations that his White House abused the autopen.

"They’ve lied so consistently about almost everything they’re doing. The best thing they can do is try to change the focus and focus on something else," the former president said. "It's consistent with Trump’s game plan all along."

Comer's House Oversight and Accountability Committee in 2023 also released a 19-page report alleging that Biden and his family engaged in corrupt international business dealings, which the administration slammed as politically motivated and lacking evidence.

Contributing: Joey Garrison, Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY.

Kathryn Palmer is a politics reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kapalmer@usatoday.com and on X @KathrynPlmr.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: House GOP report urges DOJ investigate Biden's executive actions in autopen probe

Reporting by Kathryn Palmer, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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