A former deputy chief of staff from the Biden administration invoked the Fifth Amendment during a closed deposition with the House Oversight Committee on Friday. Annie Tomasini is now the third Democratic official to come before investigators looking into potential indications of former President Joe Biden’s mental decline that may be concealed by those close to him.
Tomasini was observed entering the committee room shortly before her scheduled testimony, though she did not make comments to the press. Reports indicate she cited the Fifth Amendment several times throughout her appearance. This makes her the third former official to be under subpoena in this context, and the fifth overall to have appeared.
Initially, Tomasini was set to give a voluntary, transcribed interview, but her attorneys, in discussions with House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer from Kentucky, indicated the necessity to issue a specific subpoena.
Previously, other officials, including former White House doctor Kevin O’Connor and longtime aide to Jill Biden, Anthony Bernal, also relied on the Fifth Amendment. Comer’s investigation centers on claims that Biden’s aides may have obscured signs of his mental and physical deterioration during his presidency. There are also questions about whether certain actions were taken using an autopen without the president’s full awareness—a claim Biden’s supporters dispute.
In a recent interview, Biden stated he “made all the decisions.” Yet, there’s a growing suspicion among Republicans that those invoking the Fifth Amendment might be strategically withholding crucial information regarding the former president—although their lawyers argue it doesn’t imply any guilt.
