Veteran Democrat Anita Dunn is set to speak with House Oversight Committee investigators on Capitol Hill this Thursday. This marks her as the 10th former White House official to testify before the committee, which is looking into whether there were efforts by Biden’s inner circle to obscure signs of his cognitive decline and whether actions signed with an autopen were conducted without his awareness.
Her interview, which is voluntary, is expected to commence around 10 a.m. and could take several hours. So far, three of the ten former officials have been subpoenaed and are invoking the Fifth Amendment to avoid answering critical questions.
Interestingly, some sources mention that six former aides have defended Biden’s mental capacity, though there’s been acknowledgment that the 82-year-old president, similar to former staff member Ron Crane, faces challenges.
Dunn has been close to Biden for years and has played a significant role in Democratic messaging both during his presidency and in his recent campaign efforts for 2024. As one anonymous advisor put it, “She’s doing it all.” Recent discussions revealed that Dunn’s influence remains strong within Biden’s inner circle.
In January, a report highlighted Dunn and her husband, Robert Bauer, a former White House lawyer under Obama, as key figures in Biden’s political world. There’s been talk of internal conflicts regarding Dunn’s position, especially after a troubling debate performance against Donald Trump in June 2024, leading to speculation about her potential firing. However, these claims were dismissed as unfounded by White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zaens at the time.
Dunn’s previous experience includes serving as the White House communications director under Obama and playing a strategic role in both Biden’s 2020 and 2024 campaigns.
The committee, led by Chair James Comer, is keen to gather insights on Biden’s mental health from Dunn, given her close ties to the president. In a recent communication, Comer stated, “We need to understand your views on the former president’s mental state and health as one of his closest advisors. If there’s been a long-term strategy to hide his condition, it will require legislative review.”
