Comer rejects Biden administration doctor’s request to stop cover-up investigation

House Oversight Committee Investigation Update

In a recent development, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, appears to be halting inquiries regarding claims that some of former President Joe Biden’s close associates are concealing evidence related to his mental and physical health.

Dr. Kevin O’Connor, who previously served as the White House doctor, expressed his concerns through a statement after appearing before the House investigators. He emphasized the need to pause Comer’s investigation while parallel federal probes are ongoing.

Comer reacted to O’Connor’s statement, suggesting it was a strategy to evade questions about Biden’s cognitive decline. He asserted that O’Connor was not allowing the public to learn about Biden’s mental state and criticized the Biden administration for inhibiting his testimony to the oversight committee.

O’Connor’s legal team had initially requested his testimony over a year ago, yet the White House allegedly obstructed this process. Comer highlighted that the White House eventually relinquished enforcement privileges, but claimed O’Connor invoked the Fifth Amendment when pressed for details.

Interestingly, aides for Biden claimed the president had ultimate authority over decisions made during his administration. The investigation probes if Biden’s decisions were signed using an autopen, which some allege might have been without his direct knowledge.

Unlike his earlier lengthy session with former aide Neera Tanden, O’Connor’s deposition lasted around half an hour. Following the deposition, one of his attorneys refrained from speaking to the press, responding with silence to inquiries.

Video footage shared by the committee showcases O’Connor repeatedly citing the Fifth Amendment in response to questions that were directed at him.

His legal representatives voiced concerns about the potential violation of doctor-patient confidentiality, pointing out that disclosing private medical details could jeopardize his medical license and expose him to civil liability, thus compromising his ethical obligations.

They insisted that it would be prudent for the committee to place its investigation on hold given that a similar inquiry by the Department of Justice is currently active.

Representative Jasmine Crockett from Texas defended O’Connor during a recent discussion, acknowledging the ongoing DOJ probe. She noted that invoking the Fifth Amendment should not necessarily imply guilt, explaining that individuals have a constitutional right to do so.