Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has formally requested that the Department of Justice (DOJ) investigate the constitutionality of former President Joe Biden’s final executive orders and pardons, citing concerns over Biden’s cognitive abilities during his last months in office.
?BREAKING: I am demanding the DOJ investigated whether President Biden’s cognitive decline allowed unelected staff to push through radical policy without his knowing approval.
If true, these executive orders, pardons, and all other actions are unconstitutional and legally void. pic.twitter.com/pOhATRfw2j
— Attorney General Andrew Bailey (@AGAndrewBailey) March 5, 2025
In a letter dated March 4, 2025, addressed to DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz, Bailey expressed apprehension that “unelected staff” may have exploited the president’s mental state to implement radical policies without his fully informed consent. Bailey wrote, “If in fact this has been occurring, then all those orders are void.”
Among the actions under scrutiny is the “full and unconditional” pardon Biden granted to his son, Hunter Biden, on December 1, 2024. This pardon encompassed all federal offenses committed by Hunter between January 1, 2014, and December 1, 2024, including convictions related to tax evasion and firearm possession.
The breadth of this pardon has been described as “unprecedented,” with legal experts noting its extensive scope.
Bailey also referenced a statement by Lindy Li, a prominent Democratic National Committee fundraiser, who remarked that “the people who ran our country for the last four years” were Biden’s staff, as well as his wife and son, Hunter.
This assertion raises questions about the extent of influence wielded by unelected individuals during Biden’s presidency.
The DOJ has yet to comment on Bailey’s request. This development adds to ongoing debates regarding the use of presidential pardon powers and the potential implications of cognitive decline on executive decision-making.