Former President Biden’s Doctor Invokes Fifth Amendment
During his previous term in office, Joe Biden’s physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, chose not to answer questions regarding Biden’s cognitive health and cited the Fifth Amendment instead.
As noted by oversight chair James Comer (R-KY), O’Connor’s refusal to testify took place during a closed session related to a House GOP investigation into Biden’s mental state. The inquiry aims to determine if there were attempts by Biden’s close aides to conceal restrictions regarding his capabilities.
“Dr. O’Connor has referenced the Fifth Amendment,” Comer stated. “I’m about to share the first couple of questions that were posed.”
“Have you ever been instructed to misrepresent the president’s health?” he continued. “Did you ever feel that President Biden was unfit for his responsibilities?” O’Connor again opted for the Fifth in response.”
A spokesperson for the oversight committee mentioned that O’Connor’s only response before his deposition ended was confirming his name. They suggested that there seems to be a conspiracy aimed at obscuring details about the president’s mental faculties.
“This is something we haven’t seen before, and I believe it will intensify scrutiny over what has been hidden,” Comer remarked.
“It’s crucial for Congress to explore legislative measures to prevent similar situations in the future,” he added. “We’ll keep interviewing more former aides to ensure Americans receive the clarity they deserve.”
The next individual scheduled for questioning is Ashley Williams, a former special assistant and deputy director of Oval Office Operations, set for an interview on Friday.
“With each day, more evidence suggests a troubling decline in the president’s mental state, so we’ll be addressing that,” Comer mentioned prior to the deposition.
“We can’t dismiss the doctor’s claims regarding the president’s health,” he continued, emphasizing that the interrogation is part of a broader inquiry into which Biden aides were allowing enforcement actions and related matters.
A conversation with Annie Tomasini, a previous assistant to the president and vice chief of staff, is planned for July 18.
Comer informed journalists that O’Connor had pointed out “constitutional rights to self-disability,” adding credibility to charges that the Biden White House had significant issues, a reference to findings published on May 20 by reporters Jake Tupper and Alex Thompson.
The report suggested that political decisions in Biden’s administration were heavily influenced by close advisors like Tomasini, described as “the ultimate decision-maker.”
Other former officials from the Biden administration who are set to testify include ex-White House Chief of Staff Ron Crane (July 24), former counselor to the president Steve Richetti (July 30), former senior advisor Mike Donilon (July 31), and Deputy Chiefs of Staff Bruce Reid (August 5).
Also, Anita Dunn, who worked as a senior communications advisor, will have her interview transcribed on August 7.
On Tuesday, O’Connor requested a delay regarding his testimony to the House Oversight Committee.
