Top Biden aide admits to Congress she directed autopen signatures without knowing who gave final approval
A former top aide to President Joe Biden noted she was authorized to direct autopen signatures but was unaware of who in the president's inner circle was giving her final clearance according to a source familiar with the aide's closed-door testimony in front of Congress Tuesday Neera Tanden the former director of Biden's Domestic Procedures Council testified for hours Tuesday during an interview in front of the House Oversight Committee which is researching the former president's mental acuity and his use of an automatic signature tool that allowed aides to sign pardons memos and other fundamental documents on Biden's behalf During Tanden's interview before Congress which lasted more than five hours she advised lawmakers that in her role as staff secretary and senior advisor to the former president between and she was authorized to direct autopen signatures on behalf of Biden an Oversight Committee official stated Fox News The system of approval used according to Tanden's testimony relayed to Fox News was inherited from previous administrations WHO IS NEERA TANDEN THE CONTROVERSIAL DEM OPERATIVE WHO TESTIFIED ON BIDEN'S MENTAL ACUITYBut Tanden who reported she had limited interactions with Biden described an approval process that left her in the dark about who specifically was giving final approval on the decisions to use the automatic signature tool sources explained Fox News Tanden testified that to get approval for the use of autopen signatures she would send decision memos to members of Biden's inner circle However she added that she was not aware of what actions or approvals took place between the time she sent the decision memo and the time she received it back with the necessary approval When Tanden was questioned whether she ever discussed Biden's vitality or his fitness to serve as president during her time as a top aide including during the period of the former president's widely criticized debate performance last summer Tanden revealed she did not Lawmakers laid out a list of names of officers she could have potentially discussed it with and Tanden noted no to each name according to a source familiar with her closed-door testimony BIDEN INSISTS 'I MADE THE DECISIONS' AS REPUBLICANS INVESTIGATE WHITE HOUSE AUTOPEN USETanden did not speak to reporters on the way to the Capitol Tuesday morning Upon exiting she expressed her willingness to cooperate with the ongoing inquiry I just spoke with the House Oversight Committee Majority and Minority Council I answered every question was pleased to discuss my population facility and it was a thorough process And I'm glad I answered everyone's question Tanden narrated reporters When subsequently sought whether there was any effort to hide Biden's condition Tanden replied Absolutely not In addition to Tanden Biden's former White House physician Dr Kevin O'Connor will appear for a deposition in front of House Oversight lawmakers after being subpoenaed by Republicans In addition to O Connor and Tanden the Oversight Committee plans to hear from Anthony Bernal who served as a senior advisor to former first lady Jill Biden Annie Tomasini who was Biden's former deputy chief of staff and Ashley Williams who was the former deputy director of Oval Office operations under Biden Oversight Republicans are also seeking interviews with personnel who were various of Biden's closest confidants including former chief of staff Ron Klain and Anita Dunn a former senior advisor to the president for communications
