A GOP-led probe exposes a troubling White House cover-up of Joe Biden’s mental decline.
The House Oversight Committee, under chair James Comer, is investigating claims that senior aides concealed former President Joe Biden’s waning mental acuity while relying heavily on an autopen to sign critical documents like pardons and executive orders, as Just the News reports, with new witness testimony shedding additional light in recent days.
Senior aides insisted that Biden, now 82, was sharp and capable throughout his presidency. Their claims ring hollow against evidence of a siloed White House where key staff barely interacted with him. Minimal contact undermines their confident defenses.
Ian Sams, a former White House Counsel’s Office spokesman, admitted to only four interactions with Biden during his tenure. “Ian Sams frequently spoke publicly … about President Biden’s mental fitness,” Comer noted, yet “Special Counsel Robert Hur probably spent more time with President Biden.” Sams’ bold assertions about Biden’s sharpness seem more like scripted talking points than firsthand knowledge.
Neera Tanden, once director of Biden’s Domestic Policy Council, also had scant direct contact with the president. She sent decision memos for autopen approvals but had no clue who greenlit them. This opaque process raises eyebrows about who truly held the reins.
Ron Klain, Biden’s former chief of staff, admitted to the president’s memory lapses and reduced energy in his final year. Klain still denied any serious cognitive issues, a claim that smells like loyalty over honesty. His observations clash with the White House’s rosy narrative.
The committee is zeroing in on Biden’s frequent use of an autopen for signing clemency acts and executive orders. Comer questions the legality, stating, “It’s questionable whether … it’s legal to use an autopen on a legal document.” If Biden was unaware of what he was signing, the implications are seismic.
Post-debate scrutiny intensified after Biden’s shaky performance in the summer of 2024. Comer suggested, “Our investigation … could be used as evidence in trying to overturn some of those pardons.” The autopen’s heavy use post-debate fuels doubts about Biden’s involvement.
The White House public messaging team brushed off concerns about Biden’s mental state as baseless. Their dismissive tone feels like a deflection from inconvenient truths. Close aides reported Biden as “less energetic,” contradicting the polished narrative.
Biden’s personal physician and Jill Biden’s chief of staff dodged questions by invoking their Fifth Amendment rights. Pleading the Fifth hardly screams transparency. It suggests there’s something to hide about Biden’s condition.
Anita Dunn, a former senior adviser, admitted staff treated Biden’s memory as a political problem, not a medical one. They skipped cognitive tests to avoid political fallout, a decision Dunn framed as strategic. Prioritizing optics over accountability reeks of progressive spin.
Steve Ricchetti, deputy chief of staff, downplayed Biden’s “common mistakes” as unchanging over time. His claim contradicts Klain’s account of a noticeable decline. This inconsistency paints a picture of a staff scrambling to cover cracks.
Comer highlighted Tanden’s testimony, noting she “had minimal interaction with President Biden, despite wielding tremendous authority.” Her reliance on Biden’s inner circle for autopen approvals leaves a gaping question: who was really in charge? The lack of clarity screams dysfunction.
Then-special counsel Robert Hur’s report flagged Biden’s poor memory as a reason not to charge him over mishandled classified documents. Sams called Hur’s conclusion “gratuitous and inappropriate,” yet his own limited contact with Biden undercuts his credibility. Defending the indefensible looks desperate.
The probe’s findings paint a White House where aides shielded a fading president while wielding unchecked power. Comer’s investigation may yet unravel the legality of Biden’s final acts. This saga exposes a leadership vacuum, cloaked in progressive denial, that conservatives warned about all along.
