Former White House spokesperson Andrew Bates appeared before the House Oversight Committee in connection with its investigation into the use of an autopen for signing executive documents during the final months of President Biden’s term. In his opening statement, Bates asserted that throughout Biden’s presidency, it was universally accepted within the administration that the former president was in control—even as questions mounted over whether autopen-signed pardons lacked his direct approval.
Republican lawmakers swiftly denounced Bates’s remarks. A committee spokesperson labeled him “delusional,” accusing him of perpetuating the same narrative he has long pushed to the American public. The criticism comes amid mounting scrutiny over whether Biden’s aides overstepped, signing significant documents without sufficient oversight.
Chairman James Comer continues to lead the inquiry, seeking clarity on whether clemency orders and other executive actions were authorized directly by the president or mechanically executed without his personal reviewing. The probe marks one of the most intense and politically charged investigations into executive authority and presidential accountability in recent years.