House Committee Summons Former Biden Aide for Inquiry
On Wednesday, the House Oversight Committee summoned Anthony Bernal, a former aide to Jill Biden, to appear for a deposition. Bernal had initially missed a scheduled interview last month.
Committee Chairman James Comer stated the need to investigate Bernal’s connections with former President Biden, as the committee reviews potential legislation regarding oversight under Section 4.
Interestingly, Comer dismissed a request from Biden’s physician to pause the investigation, indicating a determination to proceed without excuses.
The deposition took place on Wednesday morning, although Bernal’s actual attendance remained uncertain until he was visibly present in the House Office Building where the session occurred.
Comer is particularly focused on whether Bernal and other aides concealed signs of Biden’s mental and physical decline during his presidency. Biden’s allies have denied these allegations.
A book by CNN anchor Jake Tupper and political correspondent Alex Thompson describes Bernal as fiercely loyal, referred to as the “Loyalty Police” by colleagues.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Bernal served as Jill Biden’s Chief of Staff during the transitional period following Biden’s election. He was previously expected to voluntarily participate in a transcribed interview, but chose to step back after former Trump administration officials waived enforcement privileges for him and other ex-White House staff. If Bernal attends, he will be the fourth former aide to meet with House GOP investigators.
As the scrutiny intensifies, Bernal reportedly expressed that he had never worried about Biden’s mental state before this investigation.
On a related note, another long-time Biden advisor, Ashley Williams, recently underwent a nearly six-hour transcribed interview, following a brief session with former White House doctor Kevin O’Connor. O’Connor invoked the Fifth Amendment regarding most of the questions posed, citing concerns for doctor-patient confidentiality. However, Comer accused him of potentially shielding the former president regarding decisions made over ten years ago.
