Jeff Zients, the former White House chief of staff, arrived on Capitol Hill Thursday for a closed door interview with the House Oversight Committee as its inquiry into Biden use of the autopen for clemency orders and other late term executive actions moves toward a close. The interview was expected to run from about 10 a.m. into the afternoon, and Zients did not speak to reporters as he entered, instead exchanging a handshake with Oversight Chair James Comer, R-Ky, before heading into the room. Zients is the last former Biden official anticipated to testify for the panel.
Comer has described Zients as one of the most important witnesses in the investigation, noting that Zients authorized the autopen use, particularly in the final stretch of Biden term. The committee has been examining whether Biden was fully aware of the clemency orders and other executive actions drafted via the autopen and whether senior aides masked the presidents involvement in those decisions.
Zients, who served as counselor to the president and White House COVID-19 response coordinator from Biden's inauguration in January 2021 until April 2022, would be expected to provide details on the chain of command around the autopen pardons. The New York Times reported that Zients would have been among the top aides relaying Biden's clemency decisions to assistants who drafted the orders before they were circulated back to Biden's senior officials for final approval. Biden has said he made every clemency decision on his own. Axios reported earlier this month that Zients signed off on pardons granted to five of Biden family members less than 24 hours before leaving office.
Comer has signaled that if White House staff carried out a strategy to hide the president's condition or to perform his duties without direct involvement, Congress could consider a legislative response. In a June letter, the chairman urged Zients to explain the scope of his responsibilities and the extent of any coordination with other aides during the final months of Biden's administration.
The scope of the inquiry has loomed large in political debate, with Biden allies denouncing the probe as politically motivated while Republicans argue it seeks to establish a fuller record on executive decision making in the waning days of Biden's presidency.
Zients' testimony comes as the panel presses to wrap up its investigation, with Comer saying the ex-Biden aide is the guy who could illuminate how decisions were transmitted to the end of Biden's term. Zients arrived without comment as reporters pressed him, other than a handshake with Comer at the doorway.
The committee has also sought to determine the extent to which clemency and other executive actions were coordinated through a chain of command that may have involved aides beyond Biden himself, and whether those actions were properly vetted in the final weeks of the administration. The portion of the inquiry focused on autopen use has been a central point of contention, with Republicans arguing for greater disclosure and Democrats contending that the probe has been used as a political cudgel.
The interview with Zients marks a significant milestone for the committee, which has already interviewed multiple former Biden aides and White House staffers. While some witnesses have testified publicly, others have provided limited statements under favorable terms of status or privilege. The committee has indicated it intends to complete its interviews and issue its findings in the coming weeks, though no final report date has been announced.
As the investigation unfolds, the White House has avoided commenting on ongoing congressional inquiries and has not provided public explanations about internal decision processes related to clemency or autopen actions in the final months of Biden's presidency. Analysts note that the outcome could influence how future administrations handle rapid, late term executive actions and how such actions are documented and reviewed by Congress.
Overall, Zients' appearance underscores the ongoing attempt by lawmakers to fill gaps in the public record surrounding Biden's late term, even as the president has asserted that key clemency decisions were made by him personally. The timing of the interview suggests the Oversight Committee views the discussion with Zients as a pivotal step in resolving questions about how autopen actions were implemented and whether additional disclosures to the public are warranted as part of the broader accountability process.