Republicans are turning up the heat on a probe of Joe Biden’s mental capacity, questioning whether he was truly in charge during his final days as president. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer is leading the charge, suggesting subpoenas for Kamala Harris and Jill Biden to explain what they knew about the former president’s fitness to lead, as ABC News reports. This investigation is revealing what smells like a cover-up, and conservatives are right to demand answers.
The probe centers in part on the Biden administration’s use of the presidential autopen for clemency actions, with Republicans, spurred by President Donald Trump, demanding to know if Biden’s staff acted alone or under his direction. Comer’s committee is digging into whether Biden was mentally sharp enough to call the shots -- or if his inner circle was quietly pulling the strings.
“Well, I think they should,” Comer told ABC, pushing for Harris and Jill Biden to face subpoenas. His call for transparency is a jab at the Democrats’ silence, who seem content to dodge questions rather than face the music on CNN or FOX. The American people deserve more than evasive PR stunts.
The committee’s investigation kicked off by questioning lower-level staff believed to have operated the autopen. Now, they’re moving up the chain to senior aides who may have given the orders. Comer’s methodical approach suggests a no-stone-unturned effort to expose potential misconduct.
“So we’re going to bring in everyone,” Comer said, signaling a relentless pursuit of the truth. His promise to climb the ladder of responsibility is a bold move, but Democrats are already dismissing it as a witch hunt. Their defensiveness only fuels suspicion.
Last week, Biden’s former White House physician, Kevin O’Connor, clammed up, invoking patient-doctor confidentiality and invoking the Fifth Amendment. His refusal to spill the beans on Biden’s health raises red flags about what the administration was hiding. If there’s nothing to conceal, why the stonewalling?
Anthony Bernal, a longtime Democratic Party aide and former chief of staff to Jill Biden, followed O’Connor’s lead, invoking the Fifth Amendment twice during a closed-door deposition on Wednesday. Bernal’s silence speaks volumes, especially given his proximity to the Bidens during critical moments. It’s hard to see this as anything but a dodge.
“It is entirely appropriate,” Bernal’s lawyer claimed, defending his client’s refusal to answer questions. The lawyer’s lofty appeal to constitutional rights feels like a convenient shield for avoiding accountability. Conservatives aren’t buying it, and neither should the public.
Rep. Byron Donalds, a Florida Republican, didn’t mince words, calling Bernal’s silence “just crazy.” “You can’t answer a simple question about the former president’s ability to discharge duties,” Donalds said, highlighting the absurdity of a top aide’s refusal to clarify Biden’s capacity. His frustration echoes what many Americans feel about this opaque administration.
Bernal, who served in the Clinton, Obama, and Biden administrations, was at Biden’s Delaware beach home last July when the former president bowed out of his reelection bid. That decision, prompted by Democratic pressure after a shaky debate performance against Trump, raises questions about who was really running the show. Was Biden in control, or was he a figurehead?
“He wouldn’t even read his own statement,” Donalds noted, pointing out that Bernal’s lawyer read his prepared remarks during the deposition. This odd detail only deepens the perception of a White House allergic to transparency. If Bernal can’t even speak for himself, what else is being hidden?
Democrats, meanwhile, are circling the wagons, with Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas sneering that Republicans “still look like losers.” Her juvenile jab does little to counter the serious allegations at hand. Dismissing oversight as a political stunt won’t make the questions go away.
Comer’s committee is now scheduling depositions with higher-level Biden aides, signaling that the probe is far from over. “We’ve started with the lower-level staffers,” Comer explained, detailing the committee’s plan to work up to those who may have directed the autopen’s use. This escalation could lead straight to the Biden family’s doorstep.
“This is the second witness that we’ve brought in via subpoena for a deposition that has pleaded the Fifth,” Comer said, underscoring the pattern of silence from Biden’s inner circle. The repeated use of the Fifth Amendment suggests a coordinated effort to stonewall. It’s a tactic that reeks of guilt, even if no wrongdoing is proven yet.
The Oversight Committee’s push for accountability is a necessary check on a Democratic Party machine that seems more interested in protecting its own than serving the public. With Harris and Jill Biden potentially in the crosshairs, this investigation could expose uncomfortable truths about who really held power in Biden’s White House. Republicans are right to keep pressing, and Americans should demand nothing less than the full story.
