The unfolding autopen scandal, where former President Joe Biden’s aides allegedly used an autopen to sign executive orders and pardons without his full awareness, has shocked Americans as it reveals the names and faces of unelected White House staffers who wielded significant executive power. Figures like Neera Tanden, Anthony Bernal, Annie Tomasini, and Jeff Zients, previously obscure to the public, are now under scrutiny for their roles in authorizing thousands of clemency actions and other decisions, with some invoking the Fifth Amendment to avoid testifying before the House Oversight Committee. The revelation that these aides may have acted as “de facto presidents” during Biden’s tenure, particularly amid concerns about his cognitive decline, has sparked outrage and disbelief. Americans are grappling with the realization that critical decisions affecting the nation—potentially including sweeping pardons for political allies or family members like Hunter Biden—may have been made by unaccountable insiders, raising questions about the legitimacy of executive actions.

The shock is compounded by the perception that the media largely shielded these figures from public view, allowing them to operate in the shadows while shaping national policy. Former aides like Tanden, who admitted to directing autopen use, and others like Bernal, described as Jill Biden’s “work husband,” were rarely highlighted in mainstream coverage, despite their influence. Posts on X and conservative outlets like Fox News have amplified public frustration, with commentators like Newt Gingrich and James Comer labeling this a historic scandal, potentially surpassing Watergate in scope. The lack of prior media scrutiny, coupled with reports of Biden’s mental fitness being downplayed, has led many to question why journalists failed to expose this alleged power grab earlier. Some argue the media’s focus on Biden’s public appearances obscured the inner workings of his administration, fostering a narrative that protected these aides from accountability.

As former staffers like Tomasini and Biden’s physician Kevin O’Connor plead the Fifth, refusing to answer questions about their roles, Americans are left wondering how such a system of unaccountable governance persisted. The House Oversight Committee’s probe, led by Chairman James Comer, has subpoenaed aides and reviewed tens of thousands of documents, uncovering emails showing Zients approved pardons without Biden’s direct input. This has fueled public distrust, with many feeling betrayed by a media they believe complicit in concealing the truth about who was “calling the shots.” The scandal’s exposure, driven by Trump’s calls for investigation and amplified by conservative media, has ignited a broader conversation about transparency and the dangers of unelected officials exercising presidential authority, leaving Americans demanding answers about why these figures remained hidden for so long.