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More than 300 official records documenting presidential pardons and sentence commutations disappeared during the Biden Administration, a lapse that is now prompting renewed questions about how one of the presidency’s most consequential authorities was administered and safeguarded, The Sun reports.
The missing materials vanished while the pardon office was overseen by Elizabeth Oyer, a senior official who later appeared before Congress, authored a New York Times opinion essay, and spoke in an interview on “60 Minutes,” all sharply criticizing the Trump Administration’s handling of clemency — the same process she had previously overseen.
Internal records obtained exclusively by the Sun describe an “internal investigation” that was “conducted into missing clemency documents, namely approximately 301 original, signed, and sealed clemency warrants (‘clemency warrants’) from the last three presidential administrations.” A source within the current administration told the Sun that although duplicate copies exist, the original signed paper warrants have never been located.
Those findings were detailed in a confidential memorandum dated November 2022, sent by Ms. Oyer to a Justice Department official, Jaclyn Paolucci. According to the memo, the probe into the vanished records “included review of pertinent emails, Teams chats, and memoranda, as well as interviews” with Department of Justice staff.
The unaccounted-for warrants precede the most controversial clemency actions of Mr. Biden’s presidency — including grants involving Hunter Biden, General Mark Milley, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and members of the House January 6 Committee — issued near the end of his term. They also predate his decision to commute the sentences of 37 inmates on federal death row convicted of murder. Republicans, along with President Trump, have closely examined Mr. Biden’s reliance on an autopen to sign those later documents.
In the memorandum, Ms. Oyer explains that “the clemency warrants are the official records of presidential grants of clemency in the form of pardons and commutations. Each is on long parchment paper, bearing an official seal in gold and the original signature of the granting president.” She cites the Constitution’s provision that the president “shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States.”
The Sun also obtained a May 2023 termination notice sent to the pardon office’s Records and Information Manager, Malawi Welles, by deputy pardon attorney Kira Gillespie. Ms. Welles was dismissed after investigators concluded she was “the last person known to be in possession of the warrants” before they disappeared.
Ms. Oyer, who assumed the role of Pardon Attorney in April 2022 — a position not subject to Senate confirmation — was herself dismissed by the Trump Administration in May 2025. She has said the firing came after she declined to recommend restoring Mel Gibson’s gun rights. Since then, she has become an outspoken critic of the 47th president, telling Scott Pelley on “60 Minutes” that “all of the traditional rules and procedures pertaining to pardons have been thrown out the window. This administration appears to be working around the Justice Department rather than with the Justice Department.”
After her removal, Ms. Oyer, a longtime public defender, testified before Congress about what she described as “the ongoing corruption” within the Trump Justice Department. Mr. Gibson, whose gun rights were revoked following a domestic violence conviction later vacated, was subsequently appointed a “Hollywood Envoy” by the 47th president. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche responded by saying Ms. Oyer’s public statements constituted a “direct violation of her ethical duties.”
The internal report authored by Ms. Oyer states that clemency records “are secured through the use of safes, locked file cabinets, and/or restricted access to the space in which they are located.” She wrote, however, that “these instructions do not appear to have been followed by Ms. Welles, as the records do not appear to have ever been placed in the safe.” Investigators noted that Ms. Welles “effectively declined to provide information” during the inquiry and “does not recall ever seeing the records.”
The investigation also found gaps in staff training. Some employees were never instructed on “records maintenance systems, nor its procedures for handling, storing, and securing clemency warrants and other documents in the Executive Case File records system.” Instead, guidance was conveyed informally, on an “ad hoc basis,” only when staff were required to handle physical records.
Ms. Oyer concluded that “the clemency warrants appear to be missing because procedures and instructions for securing the documents were not followed by Ms. Welles.” She emphasized that Ms. Welles was “the designated custodian of the records” and had been told to place them in a safe, yet later claimed she had never seen them. Ms. Oyer acknowledged that “their current whereabouts are not known.”
One case highlighted in the report traces the disappearance of a specific warrant. On June 14, 2022, Ms. Welles received a commutation warrant signed by Mr. Biden for Brittany Krambeck, who had served more than 12 years of an 18-year sentence for “maintaining drug-involved premises” and was already on home confinement. Because Ms. Welles was “working from home,” the document was slid under the door” of her “locked office.
The following day, Ms. Welles asked a supervisor, “Where am I supposed to put this document? In the file?” She was instructed to “start her own filing system.” On June 16, she reported that she “created a file in [her] office for this warrant as well.” After that date, the trail for the Krambeck warrant — and for roughly 300 others after June 28 — disappears. Ms. Oyer reiterated that “at this stage, the clemency warrants appear to be missing because procedures and instructions for securing the documents were not followed by Ms. Welles.”
In her termination letter, Ms. Gillespie wrote that Ms. Welles was “the last person known to be in possession of the Warrants” and accused her of being “abjectly derelict in the performance of one of your most fundamental duties and that you failed to safeguard important and quintessential presidential clemency records.” The letter added that “no supervisor could conceivably have confidence in your ability.” Ms. Welles’ dismissal took effect on May 18, 2023.
After leaving government service, Ms. Oyer launched a Substack newsletter in May. Her opening post begins, “Hi everyone, I’m Liz Oyer — rhymes with lawyer, which is apt, because I’ve been a practicing lawyer for more than 20 years.” She ends by writing, “Now is the time to be brave and try new things. For me, that means speaking out and speaking up in ways I haven’t before.” She has also built a TikTok following of roughly 200,000 users.
{Matzav.com}
A violent confrontation between federal immigration agents and an illegal Venezuelan migrant escalated into a shooting Wednesday night in Minneapolis, after authorities say the suspect fled a traffic stop, attacked an officer, and was joined by others who assaulted the agent with makeshift weapons.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, the incident began around 6:50 p.m. local time when federal immigration officers attempted to stop a vehicle driven by the suspect. The man allegedly tried to flee, but the attempt ended when his car slammed into a parked vehicle.
DHS said the suspect then ran from the scene and became involved in a physical struggle with an officer, during which he allegedly “violently assault[ed] the officer” as they grappled on the ground.
As the struggle continued, DHS said two additional individuals emerged from a nearby apartment and allegedly launched a brutal attack on the agent, striking him with a snow shovel and a broom handle.
Amid the chaos, authorities said the Venezuelan migrant managed to break free from the officer’s grip and allegedly began striking him as well.
DHS said the officer, “fearing for his life,” fired his weapon, striking the suspect in the leg.
Both the injured migrant and the federal agent were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. DHS said the two individuals accused of joining the attack were taken into custody.
Federal officials said the man at the center of the incident is an illegal immigrant from Venezuela who entered the United States in 2022.
Earlier Wednesday evening, multiple sources told the Minnesota Star Tribune that a series of gunshots were heard during what appeared to be a car chase moving through parts of the Twin Cities.
KARE reported that federal agents converged near North Lyndale Avenue and 25th Avenue, close to a 21-acre park, shortly before 8 p.m. local time. A photographer at the scene observed at least one ambulance departing the area.
Later, a crowd of protesters gathered at the site of the shooting but was held back by police tape, which some in the crowd attempted to tear down, according to the Star Tribune.
The paper reported that law enforcement officers deployed chemical irritants to disperse the crowd, while protesters responded by throwing chunks of ice at federal agents.
The City of Minneapolis said in a post on X that it was “aware of reports” of a “shooting involving federal law enforcement” and was “working to confirm details.” The Minneapolis Police Department released a similar statement, saying it was “aware of reports of a shooting involving federal law enforcement in North Minneapolis” and was “working to confirm additional details.”
Wednesday’s shooting occurred just one week after Renee Nicole Good, 37, was fatally shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer Jonathan Ross. Authorities said Good was killed after she allegedly attempted to “weaponize” her vehicle against federal agents during a protest near her Minneapolis home.
That incident took place at 34th Avenue and Portland Avenue, a location just over six miles from the scene of Wednesday night’s confrontation.
{Matzav.com}
It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of the longtime gabbai of the Gerer court, Reb Mendel Binke z”l, who was niftar at the age of 94. He passed away in Yerushalayim after a life devoted entirely to the service of the Rebbes of Ger and the Gerer kehillah.
Reb Mendel was born in the city of Kalisz, Poland, on 28 Cheshvan 5692 (1931), to his father, Reb Yehoshua Nach Binke z”l, the first gabbai of the Gerer beis medrash in Eretz Yisroel, and to his mother, Mrs. Ita Leah a”h. In 1935, while still a young child, his family immigrated to Eretz Yisroel and settled in Yerushalayim, where his lifelong bond with the Gerer court would take root and flourish.
He studied in his youth at Talmud Torah Chayei Olam, where he absorbed Torah from his rabbeim, Rav Moshe Chaim Schmerler and Rav Chaykel Militzky. Throughout his life, Reb Mendel vividly recalled the powerful and emotional days when the arrival of the Imrei Emes, the Rebbe of Ger, in Eretz Yisroel was announced, moments that left a lasting impression on him as a young talmid.
Approximately half a year before the outbreak of World War II, his father was appointed gabbai of the Gerer beis medrash in Yerushalayim, which at the time was housed within Yeshivas Sefas Emes. With the arrival of the Imrei Emes in Eretz Yisroel, the daily rhythm of the Gerer community changed dramatically, and Reb Yehoshua Nach became a central and stabilizing figure within the beis medrash.
During those years, Reb Mendel learned in Yeshivas Sefas Emes and was deeply involved in serving the needs of the Rebbe and the chassidus. He frequently entered the private room of the Imrei Emes, seeking guidance and counsel. Until his final years, he spoke with reverence and emotion about the moments he spent in the Rebbe’s presence, cherishing the Rebbe’s words, brachos, and direction.
Following the histalkus of the Imrei Emes on Shavuos 5708 (1948), and the assumption of leadership by the Beis Yisroel, Reb Mendel merited a particularly close relationship with the new Rebbe. He was shown warmth and affection and would often accompany the Rebbe during the early morning hours, receiving words of chizuk and guidance that he carried with him for the rest of his life.
In due time, Reb Mendel married Leah Skolsky, the daughter of Rav Yosef Dov Skolsky, one of the distinguished members of the kehillah. His wife, a respected mechaneches, stood at his side throughout the decades of his communal service. She passed away just last year.
For his livelihood, Reb Mendel initially worked in the welfare department and later served as a clerk in the offices of Chinuch Atzmai, all while continuing his unwavering devotion to the Gerer court.
A new chapter began in his life in 2008, following the passing of the previous gabbai, Reb Chanina Schiff, when Reb Mendel was called upon to assume the role of gabbai and meshamesh of the Gerer beis medrash. Despite his natural modesty and humility, he accepted the responsibility, standing at the helm of the beis medrash, calling mispallelim to the Torah, delivering announcements, and faithfully carrying out all the duties entrusted to him.
Reb Mendel served the current Rebbe of Gur with complete dedication and accompanied him on visits and at gatherings, remaining a trusted and familiar presence within the court.
In recent years, his strength waned, and he gradually stepped back from some of the burdens of the gabbai’s role. He endured a profound personal tragedy with the untimely passing of his beloved son-in-law, Reb Shmuel Dovid Weiss z”l, a distinguished talmid chacham who served as a rebbi at the Ner Yisroel Gerer yeshiva ketanah.
Reb Mendel leaves behind a wonderful family deeply rooted in Torah and chassidus.
Yehi zichro baruch.
{Matzav.com}
The Tel Aviv District Traffic Magistrate Court ruled this week in a case involving gender segregation on a public bus, levying fines and awarding compensation following an incident that occurred in January 2023 on Dan Bus Line 292, which runs between Bnei Brak and Petach Tikva.
The case stemmed from an encounter in which a 76-year-old woman was instructed by a bus inspector to relocate to the back of the bus on the claim that the route operated under a “Mehadrin” arrangement. After she declined to comply, she was subjected to derogatory and discriminatory comments, with the bus driver also taking part in the exchange.
The court’s decision followed an indictment submitted by the National Prosecutions Department within the Ministry of Transport and Road Safety, in line with the ministry’s stated policy of active enforcement in such matters.
As part of the ruling, Dan Bus Company was found guilty and ordered to pay a fine of 40,000 shekels, along with personal compensation of 20,000 shekels to the affected passenger.
The bus inspector involved in the incident was fined 6,000 shekels, instructed to pay the passenger an additional 2,000 shekels in personal compensation, given a suspended driver’s license conditional on future conduct, and required to post a commitment of 50,000 shekels for a three-year period.
The bus driver, whose role was described by the court as limited, was fined 2,500 shekels and committed to refrain from similar conduct for three years, backed by a financial undertaking of 15,000 shekels.
Transport Minister Miri Regev praised the outcome, saying, “I welcome this verdict, which comes as a direct result of the clear and determined policy of the Ministry of Transport. Gender segregation and discrimination in public transportation are a red line. We will act with all the tools at our disposal, including field enforcement and legal proceedings, to ensure that every passenger receives equal, respectful, and safe service.”
{Matzav.com}The Knesset voted Wednesday to block a proposed “Who is a Jew” bill introduced by MK Avi Maoz of the Noam party, halting the initiative at its initial stage.
The legislation aimed to stipulate that registration as a Jew in Israel’s population registry would rely exclusively on conversions recognized by Israel’s rabbinic courts.
In the preliminary vote, the proposal was defeated by a margin of 60 to 15, with support coming from a limited number of lawmakers, including members of the United Torah Judaism and Shas factions.
Maoz pointed to what he described as a contradiction between the outcome of the vote and remarks made last month by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir at an event in Kfar Chabad, where he said, “We need to pass the ‘Who is a Jew’ bill.” Despite that statement, the Otzma Yehudit and Religious Zionist parties did not back the bill during the plenary vote.
Coalition sources placed the blame for the failure on Maoz himself, arguing that his decision to advance the bill without securing sufficient support doomed its prospects. “Maoz proposed the bill from the opposition without a majority. This move harms the bill since it’s now automatically postponed by half a year. He is trying to make political gains, but in fact, he delayed the bill,” the sources said.
The same sources added that the move ran counter to guidance from Chabad rabbis, saying they had advised moving forward only once enough votes were assured. “Who instructed to advance the bill only when there is the needed majority to pass it. Unfortunately, it would seem that Avi Maoz’s goal is to try to undermine the coalition and harm the stability of the right-wing government,” they said.
Responding to the vote, Maoz described the outcome as a “historic miss” and said the struggle over Israel’s Jewish identity would continue both publicly and in the Knesset. “Today we see who is prepared to stand behind their declarations about a Jewish state and who chooses to run away at the moment of truth,” he said.
{Matzav.com}
