Rep. James Comer (R-KY), chairman of the Oversight Committee, demanded that former President Joe Biden‘s physician and White House aides sit for interviews as part of an investigation into Biden’s mental and physical decline.
The letters were sent on Thursday to Kevin O’Connor, Biden’s physician; Neera Tanden, former director of the Domestic Policy Council; Anthony Bernal, former senior adviser to former first lady Jill Biden; Annie Tomasini, former deputy chief of staff; and Ashley Williams, former deputy director of Oval Office operations.
“The cover-up of President Biden’s obvious mental decline is a historic scandal. The American people deserve to know when this decline began, how far it progressed, and who was making critical decisions on his behalf,” Comer said in a statement. “Today, we are calling on President Biden’s physician and former White House advisors to participate in transcribed interviews so we can begin to uncover the truth.”
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The letters came in the wake of Comer’s investigation into Biden’s use of an autopen to issue presidential pardons and other business.
However, the news that Biden has an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones, along with the publication of a new book detailing how the former president’s allies covered up his mental decline, has increased public pressure for more investigations into the Biden administration.
This week, President Donald Trump repeatedly accused Biden’s closest aides of “treason” for allegedly taking over Biden’s autopen to enact a liberal agenda.
“President Trump is asking the right question: Who authorized and controlled the autopen in Joe Biden’s White House? This is the biggest cover-up in American history,” Comer said on Tuesday.
Critics have also questioned O’Connor’s decision not to require Biden to receive a prostate-specific antigen blood test that is commonly used to help diagnose prostate cancer. As president and leader of the free world, most people expected Biden to receive the best medical care possible.
Yet, the former president never took the test while in office. A spokesperson confirmed to the Washington Examiner on Tuesday that his “last known PSA test was in 2014. Prior to Friday, President Biden had never been diagnosed with prostate cancer.”
Comer specifically questioned O’Connor’s past medical assessments of Biden in his letter.
“In light of mounting evidence that confirms the Committee’s initial observation that President Biden was significantly unwell while serving in office, the Committee seeks information to ensure accurate information was provided to the American people and your health reports were not subject to any improper influence,” Comer said. “Therefore, the Committee requests your appearance for a transcribed interview.”
Separately, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), chairman of a Senate investigative subcommittee, told the Washington Examiner he would request interviews related to Biden’s cancer diagnosis, also targeting O’Connor.
However, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told the Washington Examiner that he would not investigate Biden’s autopen use, though other GOP members on the panel are pushing for an investigation into Biden’s past pardons and clemency.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Thursday that Trump hasn’t “directed” anyone to look into whether there are records that contradict what the public knew about Biden’s decline.
“He has not directed anyone, to my knowledge, to look into that, but surely I can ask him if he intends to,” Leavitt said.
Leavitt added that Trump does not use an autopen to sign legislation and orders.
“The president signs every executive order. He signs every proclamation,” she said. “He signs pretty much every document that is needed for the president’s signature, with the exception of maybe some letters to children, from what we have heard and seen, that was not the case in the previous administration.”
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Leavitt also pointed to the newly released book Original Sin, which details how Biden’s allies shielded his decline from the media and the public.
“There’s a new book out. I don’t know if any of you have heard about it. Again, a little bit too late. Because the American people knew the truth on this from the very beginning,” Leavitt said. “This is common sense. This isn’t the president making it up. These are facts that are now finally being revealed.”
David Sivak contributed to this report.