Washington, D.C., is ablaze with controversy following a jaw-dropping allegation from Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) that staffers in President Joe Biden’s administration were running a clandestine “cash for clemency” operation, using an autopen to churn out pardons for massive payoffs. The bombshell claim, aired on “The Benny Johnson Show” on May 20, 2025, has sent shockwaves through the political sphere, with conservatives on X calling it “the scandal we knew was coming.” Burchett, a member of the House Oversight Committee, suggested that low-level staffers, possibly earning modest salaries, were offered up to “a quarter of a mil” to slip pardons through a “bogus legal system” using the autopen—a device that mechanically reproduces signatures. “I have no direct proof, but I’m talking about history,” Burchett said, pointing to a 1970s Tennessee scandal where Governor Ray Blanton sold pardons, hinting at a chilling parallel. “Someone got rich,” he added, sparking a firestorm of speculation about corruption at the highest levels.
The allegations come amid scrutiny of Biden’s final days in office, when he issued a flurry of controversial pardons, including preemptive ones for members of the House January 6 committee, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and his son, Hunter Biden. These pardons, announced on January 19, 2025, were meant to shield recipients from potential prosecution under the incoming Trump administration. However, Burchett’s claims raise questions about whether Biden, whose mental acuity has been under fire, was even aware of the pardons. Reports of Biden’s Stage 4 prostate cancer diagnosis, revealed in May 2025, and audio from his 2023 interviews with Special Counsel Robert Hur, showing slurred speech and memory lapses, fuel suspicions that staffers exploited his condition to run the autopen unchecked. Posts on X have erupted, with one user fuming, “Biden’s team was selling pardons? Disgraceful!” Another demanded, “Trump’s DOJ needs to clean this up!” The Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project amplified the controversy, claiming Biden’s signature on most official documents, including pardons, matched an autopen pattern, except for his 2024 campaign withdrawal letter.
Burchett’s historical reference to Ray Blanton’s “TennParole” scandal, where 52 prisoners, including 20 murderers, were pardoned for cash, adds weight to his allegations. “Tennessee has a history of this,” he said, warning that “D.C. is a dangerous town to play games in.” The congressman speculated that staffers making $100,000 a year could be tempted by offers of $250,000 stashed in safety deposit boxes, suggesting a deep-rooted scheme. The lack of direct evidence hasn’t stopped the story from gaining traction, with conservative outlets like The Gateway Pundit and Defiant America amplifying the claims. A YouTube video titled “Whistleblowers CONFIRM Biden Autopen Scandal” has racked up views, alleging insider knowledge of staffers’ identities. Meanwhile, President Trump has fanned the flames, calling the autopen use “TREASON at the Highest Level” in a Truth Social post, claiming staffers “stole the Presidency” and enabled an open-border crisis. He argued Biden’s pardons, especially for the January 6 committee, are “void” due to autopen use, though legal experts dismiss this, citing a 2005 DOJ memo stating autopens are valid for signing legislation.
Skeptics argue Burchett’s claims are speculative, lacking concrete proof, and part of a broader GOP push to probe Biden’s mental decline. Legal scholars, including Jay Wexler from Boston University, call the autopen argument a “nonstarter,” noting the Constitution doesn’t require pardons to be signed by hand. A 2024 Fourth Circuit ruling further supports that pardons need not be written. Still, the allegations have struck a nerve, especially given Biden’s health revelations. House Oversight Chairman James Comer has vowed to investigate, subpoenaing aides like Annie Tomasini and demanding audio from Hur’s investigation. A former Biden official defended the practice, telling NBC News that Biden made all pardon decisions, with autopen used as a “clerical mechanism” common across administrations. Yet, the timing—amid Biden’s cognitive struggles and a polarized climate where 72% of Americans support tougher oversight, per a 2024 Gallup poll—has fueled public distrust.
The scandal’s implications are massive. If true, it suggests unelected staffers wielded unchecked power, potentially profiting from pardons while Biden was sidelined. Social media is buzzing, with X users speculating about “suicided” whistleblowers and comparing it to Clinton-era controversies. “Burchett’s onto something,” one post read, while another demanded, “Arrest them all!” The lack of an official White House response only deepens the mystery. As Trump’s DOJ, led by figures like Ed Martin, takes aim at Biden’s pardons, the saga promises to dominate headlines. Is this a smoking gun of corruption or political mudslinging? The truth remains elusive, but the allegations have lit a fuse in Washington, and no one can look away.
