Washington’s swamp just got murkier. Michael Donilon, a decades-long Biden loyalist, admitted to the House Oversight Committee that he pocketed $4 million for Biden’s 2024 campaign -- and could’ve doubled it had Biden won, as Fox News reports. This bombshell raises questions about loyalty, lucre, and leadership.
Donilon, a senior advisor to Biden since his 1981 Senate days, served as the mastermind behind Biden’s 2020 and 2024 campaigns. He earned a hefty $4 million for the latest effort, with another $4 million promised if Biden had triumphed. Instead, Biden’s campaign imploded after a disastrous June 2024 debate against Donald Trump.
The House Oversight Committee, led by Rep. James Comer (R-KY) is probing whether Biden’s inner circle hid his alleged mental decline and used an autopen to sign executive actions without his knowledge. Donilon, the eighth former Biden official to testify, claimed ignorance about the autopen’s use. His amnesia on this point strains credulity.
Donilon’s ties to Biden span over four decades, starting when Biden was a Delaware senator. As a senior advisor throughout Biden’s presidency, Donilon saw the president’s daily operations. Yet, he insists Biden remained “deeply engaged” despite visible stumbles.
“I was with President Joe Biden from his first day in office to the last day,” Donilon declared in his opening statement. He painted Biden as a sage leader, growing “stronger and wiser” amid challenges. This rosy portrait clashes with the public’s memory of Biden’s faltering debate performance.
A source familiar with the probe noted Donilon’s frustration with Biden’s weak public image. “Mr. Donilon admitted that Joe Biden’s presence wasn’t as commanding,” the source revealed. Such candor undermines Donilon’s glowing testimony and fuels suspicions of a cover-up.
Donilon’s $4 million payday for the 2024 campaign, reported by Axios’ Alex Thompson and CNN’s Jake Tapper in their recent book, staggers the imagination. Had Biden won, Donilon’s total haul could’ve hit $8 million. For a campaign that ended in June 2024, that’s a princely sum for failure.
Biden’s debate debacle prompted weeks of Democratic Party pressure, forcing him to exit the race. Donilon, however, argued Biden’s communication skills “got stronger” over time, per a source. This claim invites skepticism when voters recall Biden’s struggles to string sentences together.
“[Donilon] believes the punditry and Democrats in Congress overreacted after Joe Biden’s disastrous debate,” the source added. Overreacted? The debate exposed what many suspected: a leader propped up by aides like Donilon, whose loyalty seemed tied to a potential $8 million jackpot.
The committee’s probe into the autopen’s use -- potentially signing executive actions without Biden’s awareness -- remains unresolved. Donilon’s assertion that he “did not know” what the autopen was used for feels like a dodge. If true, it suggests stunning negligence on the part of a senior advisor.
A source close to Biden’s team called the Republican-led probe “dangerous,” accusing it of seeking “one tiny inconsistency” to fuel political prosecutions. This deflection reeks of desperation. Smearing investigators won’t erase questions about Biden’s fitness or Donilon’s role.
Donilon’s testimony paints a troubling picture: a campaign strategist enriched while allegedly shielding Biden’s decline. “Every President ages over the four years,” Donilon conceded, but insisted Biden’s experience was “enormously valuable.” Valuable to whom -- Donilon’s bank account?
As the eighth ex-Biden official to face the committee, Donilon joins a parade of insiders under scrutiny. Comer’s investigation targets whether Biden’s closest aides concealed his condition from the public. Donilon’s millions add a mercenary twist to the saga.
“I believed that President Biden was the best person to lead the country,” Donilon claimed. Yet, his financial stake in Biden’s re-election muddies his motives. Was Donilon serving the nation or chasing a massive payout?
The Biden team’s dismissal of the probe as a “smear” won’t quiet the critics. Donilon’s testimony, laced with contradictions and cash, only deepens distrust in Washington’s elite. The swamp, it seems, still thrives on secrets and self-interest.
