{"id":2463214,"date":"2025-07-17T20:56:01","date_gmt":"2025-07-18T00:56:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-pivots-to-biden-autopen-investigation-for-reprieve-from-epstein-firestorm-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-07-17T20:57:49","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T00:57:49","slug":"gop-pivots-to-biden-autopen-investigation-for-reprieve-from-epstein-firestorm-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-pivots-to-biden-autopen-investigation-for-reprieve-from-epstein-firestorm-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"GOP pivots to Biden autopen investigation for reprieve from Epstein firestorm &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fgop-pivots-to-biden-autopen-investigation-for-reprieve-from-epstein-firestorm-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2463214&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses how Republicans are shifting their focus to an inquiry into president Joe Biden&#8217;s use of an autopen-a device used to sign documents remotely-as a way to divert attention from growing criticism over the release of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. This shift emerges amid internal party tensions over how to handle the Epstein files adn transparency issues.<\/p>\n<p>House Oversight Republicans are expanding their inquiry into Biden&#8217;s autopen use, with several former Biden aides testifying or invoking their Fifth Amendment rights. The White House has responded by launching its own investigation into Biden&#8217;s autopen usage. Some Republicans view this as a significant issue of abuse of power that deserves more attention than the Epstein files controversy.<\/p>\n<p>However, not all GOP members agree with this strategy. Some continue to push for the full release of Epstein-related documents, emphasizing the seriousness of the allegations. Meanwhile, Democrats strongly criticize the Republicans&#8217; focus on biden&#8217;s autopen as a distraction tactic meant to deflect from the Trump management&#8217;s handling of the Epstein files. Democratic leaders have called for hearings and possible subpoenas related to the Epstein documents.<\/p>\n<p>The article highlights the political back-and-forth between the parties,with Republicans accusing Democrats of hypocrisy regarding transparency,while Democrats dismiss the autopen investigation as a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >weak counter-argument amid<\/a> the Epstein scandal.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">GOP pivots to Biden autopen investigation for reprieve from Epstein firestorm<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2176272\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/republicans\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Republicans\">Republicans<\/a> are looking for ways to combat the rising anger over the release of the files of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which threatens to split the party.<\/p>\n<p>As things heat up in the debate on whether the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/trump-administration\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Trump administration\">Trump administration<\/a> should release the complete files of Epstein, Republicans are focusing their efforts on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/house-oversight-committee\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"House Oversight\">House Oversight<\/a> investigation into former President Joe Biden&rsquo;s use of the autopen.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/finance-and-economy\/3472164\/house-passes-crypto-week-legislation-after-republican-revolt\/\">House passes &#8216;crypto week&#8217; legislation after Republican revolt<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3474490\/comer-expands-biden-autopen-investigation-more-witness-interviews\/\">Comer expands Biden autopen investigation with more witness interviews<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3472133\/house-lawmakers-immigration-reform-dignity-act\/\">House lawmakers make urgent plea to pass immigration reform with Dignity Act<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;House Republicans aren&rsquo;t going to be lectured on transparency from the Democrat[ic] Party that worked to cover up President Biden&rsquo;s lack of fitness for office and his scandalous use of the autopen,&rdquo; Johnson <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/speakerjohnson\/status\/1945295654462636215?s=46\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">wrote on X<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The White House also jump-started its investigation into the<strong>&nbsp;<\/strong>Biden autopen on Thursday, the same day it was faced with a barrage of questions about the Trump administration&rsquo;s handling of the Epstein files.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The White House Counsel&rsquo;s Office has launched their own investigation into former President Biden&rsquo;s usage of the autopen,&rdquo; White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced at Thursday&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/newsom-extends-southern-california-stay-at-home-order-for-at-least-another-three-weeks\/\" title=\"Newsom Extends Southern California Stay...at...Home Order For at Least Another Three Weeks\">press briefing<\/a>, noting that the office has already requested relevant emails, communications, and other documents from the National Archives.<\/p>\n<p>Friday will mark the fifth testimony the committee is conducting in its investigation into the Biden administration&rsquo;s use of the autopen, with Annie Tomasini, who served as an assistant and deputy chief of staff to the president, set to appear for her deposition before the committee on Friday.<\/p>\n<p>Tomasini worked for Biden in the Senate<span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">, his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/carson-points-out-that-every-democratic-plan-has-backfired-in-trumps-favor-as-seen-in-the-bible-2\/\" title=\"Carson points out that every Democratic plan has backfired in ...&#039;s favor, as seen in the Bible\">vice president&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s office, and was the traveling chief of staff for Biden&rsquo;s 2020 campaign before his presidency, according to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.legistorm.com\/person\/bio\/61377\/AnnMarie_Tomasini.html\" target=\"_blank\">Legistorm<\/a>. Two former Biden aides have appeared for closed-door, transcribed interviews, and a former Biden aide and physician invoked their Fifth Amendment rights<\/span> during their depositions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I think the other bigger issue, in my opinion, is the issue of these autopen issues. You literally gave criminals a &lsquo;get out of jail free card,&rsquo; and you talk about abuse of power,&rdquo; Rep. Mike Haridopolos (R-FL) told the <em>Washington Examiner.<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I think that is where we should focus our energy right now, because that&rsquo;s real life,&rdquo; he said.<\/p>\n<p>However, not all Republicans agree with this method of pushback.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s not even apples to oranges,&rdquo; Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) told the <em>Washington Examiner.<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Burchett was one of nine Republicans to co-sponsor Rep. Thomas Massie&rsquo;s (R-KY) discharge petition to force the release of the Epstein files.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">compete cosponsor list as of 2:30pm 7\/17\/25<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RepRoKhanna?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@RepRoKhanna<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RepMTG?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@RepMTG<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RepTimBurchett?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@RepTimBurchett<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RepEliCrane?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@RepEliCrane<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RepBoebert?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@RepBoebert<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Congressman_JVD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@Congressman_JVD<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RepEricBurlison?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@RepEricBurlison<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RepMillsPress?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@RepMillsPress<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RepTomBarrett?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@RepTomBarrett<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RepMaxMiller?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@RepMaxMiller<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RepRashida?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@RepRashida<\/a><\/p>\n<p>For H.Res.581:<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/nNy3FeHT4D\">https:\/\/t.co\/nNy3FeHT4D<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RepThomasMassie\/status\/1945913739565256928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 17, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;Child molestation is the worst thing, ultimately the worst thing that anybody could ever do to somebody,&rdquo; Burchett said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Democrats have leaned into slamming the Trump administration for its handling of the Epstein files. House Judiciary Committee ranking member Jamie Raskin (D-MD) sent a letter to Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) on Tuesday asking to hold a hearing on the files and possibly subpoena members of President Donald Trump&rsquo;s Cabinet.<\/p>\n<p>Raskin told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> the comparison is a &ldquo;flimsy excuse.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;They&rsquo;ve got to find a better counter scandal than that,&rdquo; Raskin said. &ldquo;That is a really flimsy excuse for a scandal, but okay.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I think in the middle of the Epstein scandal, when Trump is trying to suppress the release of all the files, and all the documents, they should just try to change the subject, they should not be talking about transparency,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/RepJamesComer\/status\/1945571373633397002\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">posted on X<\/a> Wednesday about former Biden aide, Anthony Bernal, invoking his Fifth Amendment right before the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/supreme-court-rejects-bannon-bid-to-avoid-prison-sentence-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Supreme Court rejects Bannon bid to avoid prison sentence ... Washington Examiner\">committee&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s majority and minority counsel, calling it &ldquo;the biggest cover-up in Oval Office history.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) quoted Comer&rsquo;s post&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/jaredemoskowitz\/status\/1945585093860265986?s=46&amp;t=p4z4841G0T5BjMHvWHQbTQ\" target=\"_blank\">referring to the Epstein files<\/a>, saying, &ldquo;Real<\/span>ly, Today of all days is the day you want to talk about cover-ups?&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I have a proposal for James Comer,&rdquo; Moskowitz told the Washington Examiner.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Here&rsquo;s my proposal: I&rsquo;ll meet him halfway. We should open up an investigation into whether Jeffrey Epstein used an auto pen,&rdquo; he joked.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2176272\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2176272\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>GOP shifts focus to Biden autopen probe amid Epstein backlash<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3691,"featured_media":2463215,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Mike-Johnson-Stefanik-Seat-scaled-1024x683.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[59371,3620,59372,6203,32076],"class_list":["post-2463214","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-autopen-investigation","tag-biden","tag-epstein-firestorm","tag-gop","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Mike-Johnson-Stefanik-Seat-scaled-1024x683.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2463214","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3691"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2463214"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2463214\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2463218,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2463214\/revisions\/2463218"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2463215"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2463214"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2463214"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2463214"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}