House Oversight and Government Reform Chair James Comer is demanding interviews with Joe Biden’s physician and former White House officials as part of his investigation into the former president’s mental decline.
The requests, dated Thursday, were sent to Biden’s physician, Kevin O’Connor; former Domestic Policy Council Director Neera Tanden; former senior adviser to the first lady Anthony Bernal; former deputy chief of staff Annie Tomasini; and former deputy director of Oval Office operations Ashley Williams.
“The question of whether former President Biden executed his duties — and, if not, who in fact did — remains an investigative focus of this Committee,” the Kentucky Republican wrote in some of the letters to these individuals. “The Committee remains concerned that you … were involved in running interference on behalf of the former President and perhaps performing duties exclusively reserved for the President of the United States.”
This week, Washington has been dishing over the highly anticipated book by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’ Alex Thompson about efforts by top Biden allies to protect the former president from questions around his age.
Comer, now mulling a bid for Kentucky governor, has long been a chief antagonist of Biden, leading the effort to formally impeach him in the previous Congress — though the matter never came up for a floor vote.
Earlier this month, Comer announced he would continue his probe into Biden’s fitness and use of the autopen to conduct presidential business. Last year, he subpoenaed Tomasini, Bernal and Williams and issued a request to O’Connor that he sit for an interview with the committee.
