Fact Check: Did Sen Ed Markey demand Sen Elizabeth Warren resign over an autopen scandal?
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS: According to a viral claim circulating on social media platforms, Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey called for the resignation of fellow Senator Elizabeth Warren over her apparent involvement in an autopen scandal. Let us analyze and fact-check the claim.
Claim: Ed Markey called for the resignation of Elizabeth Warren
According to the claim, Markey has broken ranks with fellow Democrats by demanding that Warren resign.
"Her involvement in the autopen scandal harms the reputation of the Senate and the state of Massachusetts," Markey allegedly said, "She should resign immediately and forfeit her pension."
A viral post further claims that Markey is disappointed in Warren but has faith that the party will persevere.
The claim has spread on Facebook, X, and Instagram, garnering hundreds of thousands of views, with many believing it to be true while others remained skeptical.
Fact Check: The claim originated as a satire
However, there is no evidence of Markey demanding the resignation of fellow Democrat Warren over an autopen scandal.
The above-mentioned quote attributed to Markey is also fake, as there are no news reports, official statements, or social media posts that match the remark.
A search on Google for the claim yielded no credible reports by prominent news media outlets, which, if true, would have made headlines.
Moreover, the post was accompanied by photos of the two Democrats with a small overlay text on the bottom left stating, "Nothing on this page is real.’"Hence, the post was intended as a parody made for the sake of engagement.
Trump continues to criticize autopen use despite using it himself
President Donald Trump often brings up his long-running fixation with former President Joe Biden’s use of an autopen, calling for the arrest of officials from the previous administration.
Trump, who has repeatedly claimed Biden did not personally authorize key government actions, took to Truth Social earlier this year to argue that documents signed using the mechanical signature device were invalid and unlawful.
The Republican leader even previously replaced Biden’s official portrait with a photograph of an autopen along the hallway connecting the West Wing to the Executive Residence — a space he has dubbed his “Presidential Walk of Fame.”
However, using autopens is a common practice among American presidents, including Trump himself.
