On Tuesday, former Biden White House official Neera Tanden appeared for over four hours of closed-door testimony before the House Oversight Committee as part of its ongoing investigation into Joe Biden’s use of an autopen and concerns over his mental acuity. The inquiry, led by Chairman James Comer (R-KY), seeks to determine who truly “called the shots” during Biden’s final years in office and whether the president was actively approving key decisions.
Tanden, who served as White House staff secretary and later director of the Domestic Policy Council, confirmed she was authorized to oversee the use of the autopen—a device that automatically signs the president’s name on official documents. “As staff secretary, I was responsible for handling the flow of documents to and from the president,” Tanden told the committee. “I was also authorized to direct that autopen signatures be affixed to certain categories of documents.”
She insisted there was no wrongdoing, emphasizing that the process she used was inherited from previous administrations. Tanden added, “I had no experience in the White House that would provide any reason to question [Biden’s] command as president.”
Still, the Oversight Committee’s interest stems not from the legality of using an autopen—which the Justice Department clarified in 2005 is permissible under Article I, Section 7—but from growing concerns about whether Biden himself was aware of or mentally capable of authorizing each autopen use.
Comer pointed to at least eight instances where Biden used the autopen to sign executive orders on days he was reportedly present at the White House. “Why use the autopen when the president is in the building?” Comer questioned, highlighting potential red flags about Biden’s day-to-day engagement.
After the interview concluded around 3:20 p.m., Tanden told the Washington Examiner, “I was very happy to answer questions. I answered the questions… I was happy to discuss my public service.” When pressed about whether there was a cover-up of the president’s condition, she bluntly replied, “Absolutely not.”
Despite her cooperative tone, Tanden took aim at Republicans in her opening remarks, accusing them of engaging in political theater. She argued that the committee was avoiding oversight of former President Donald Trump, focusing instead on Biden for partisan purposes. She referenced Trump’s “meme coin and cryptocurrency adventures” as more pressing matters for investigation.
Freshman Democrat Rep. Wesley Bell (D-MO) echoed that view, slamming the investigation as unserious. “This is for one person, their king, to stroke his ego,” Bell said, referring to Trump. “I’ve seen weak cases, and I’ve seen strong cases. This is no case.”
But Republicans aren’t backing down. They argue that a pattern of autopen use, paired with Biden’s visible public stumbles and limited press interactions, raises legitimate concerns. “This is the first of what will be many interviews with people that we believe were involved in the autopen scandal in the Biden administration,” Comer said.
Upcoming closed-door interviews are scheduled with several more former White House aides, including Jill Biden adviser Anthony Bernal, Annie Tomasini, Ashley Williams, and Biden’s longtime physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor, who is slated to testify July 9.
While transcripts of these depositions will eventually be released, Comer stated they would remain confidential until all witness interviews are completed. “I always prefer the transcribed interview/deposition, as opposed to a committee hearing,” he explained. “So much more substantive.”
The autopen investigation is shaping up to be a defining battle in the House Oversight Committee’s broader scrutiny of the Biden presidency, with implications that could ripple into the 2024 election cycle.