Anthony Bernal, Jill Biden’s self-styled “work husband,” clammed up Wednesday, invoking the Fifth Amendment during a House Oversight Committee deposition, as the New York Post reports. His refusal to answer questions about President Joe Biden’s cognitive health has sparked fresh concerns about who’s really running the White House. The American people deserve answers, not silence.
The committee, led by Rep. James Comer (R-KY) grilled Bernal on whether Biden was fit to lead and if unelected aides or family members wielded presidential power. Comer’s team pressed Bernal on whether Biden ever instructed him to lie about his health, but the aide stayed mum. This stonewalling only fuels suspicions of a cover-up.
Bernal’s tight-lipped performance follows a pattern, as Biden’s former White House physician, Kevin O’Connor, also pleaded the Fifth last Friday. O’Connor dodged questions about lying regarding Biden’s health or whether the president was unfit for duty. The growing list of silent aides raises red flags about transparency.
Comer didn’t mince words, declaring, “The American people are concerned” about unelected figures making White House decisions. His point cuts deep: if Biden’s team is dodging basic questions, who’s been steering the ship? The lack of clarity is a scandal in itself.
The committee also probed whether Bernal advised Biden to pardon his son, Hunter. No answers came, leaving lawmakers and the public in the dark. This opacity undermines trust in an administration already on shaky ground.
Annie Tomasini, Biden’s deputy chief of staff, faced questioning Friday after requesting a subpoena through her lawyer. She’s the fifth aide dragged into this probe, following Neera Tanden and Ashley Williams, who at least answered questions without hiding behind the Fifth. Tanden, on June 24, flatly denied any effort to conceal Biden’s cognitive decline, saying, “Absolutely not.”
White House chief of staff Jeff Zients used an autopen to approve 25 warrants for pardons and commutations between December and January. Two of these commuted sentences for thousands of convicts, raising eyebrows about oversight. President Trump’s Justice Department is now investigating this as a potential abuse of signature authority.
Even Gen. Mark Milley and Biden family members snagged preemptive pardons on Jan. 20, authorized via autopen. Biden claimed these were to shield against “vindictive” prosecutions by his successor. But as Comer noted, Biden “didn’t sign off on every individual pardon,” casting doubt on his control.
Staff secretary Stefanie Feldman relied on written accounts of Biden’s approval for these autopen signatures, even when drafters weren’t in the room with him. This sloppy process smells of corner-cutting at best, deception at worst. The autopen, used since Truman’s days, shouldn’t be a blank check for aides.
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) didn’t hold back, stating, “If you cannot answer a simple question about Joe Biden’s capabilities, then that further demonstrates that he was not in charge.” His logic is ironclad: a president too frail to lead invalidates every order and bill signed under his name. Donalds, eyeing Florida’s governorship, is amplifying a concern many share.
Donalds went further, demanding that Vice President Kamala Harris explain “what she knew and when she knew it.” Her silence on Biden’s health only deepens the mystery. The American public deserves more than evasive aides and a questionable autopen.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) tried to downplay the issue, claiming Biden “completely understood what was going on” and just got “fumbled up by words.” Her defense rings hollow when key aides refuse to testify openly. Word fumbles don’t explain a systemic lack of accountability.
President Donald Trump called the autopen saga a “crime to do that to the country,” suggesting aides hijacked Biden’s authority. He speculated Biden “didn’t know he was doing it,” pointing to a White House run amok. His outrage mirrors what many conservatives feel: betrayal by an unchecked bureaucracy.
Jill Biden’s close aide Bernal, described in Katie Rogers’ book American Woman as “impatient, demanding, and overbearing,” seems to epitomize this insider clique. His “work husband” moniker might be cozy, but his silence screams arrogance. The public isn’t laughing.
Comer summed it up: “This is a historic scandal and Americans demand transparency.” His call for accountability hits the mark, as Biden’s inner circle hides behind legal protections. Conservatives won’t rest until the truth about who has been running the show comes to light.
