Former Biden officials face questions on ex-president’s cognitive capacity

The House Oversight Committee is currently engaged in hearings with two former top aides from the Biden administration as part of a Republican-led investigation into allegations of a cover-up regarding former President Joe Biden’s mental decline while in office. Neera Tanden, former Domestic Policy Council Director, is set to meet with the committee on Tuesday, while Anthony Bernthal, former Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the First Lady, will meet with them on Thursday.

In addition to Tanden and Bernthal, the committee has interviews scheduled with other former administration officials, including Annie Tomasini and Ashley Williams. They are also seeking interviews with key figures in Biden’s inner circle such as former Chief of Staff Ron Klain and former Senior Advisor to the President for Communications Anita Dunn. Former White House doctor Kevin O’Connor is also expected to sit down with House investigators in July.

The investigation, led by House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, aims to determine whether those closest to Biden in his administration colluded to conceal the former president’s declining mental acuity and used methods to bypass him when issuing important orders. President Donald Trump has also ordered the Department of Justice to investigate the matter, with Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House counsel David Warrington handling the investigation.

One of the key questions being raised is whether any Biden officials used the autopen to authorize executive actions without the president’s consent. The interviews with the former aides are being conducted behind closed doors to allow for a more focused and detailed discussion. The transcripts of these interviews are expected to be released at a later date.

Comer emphasized the importance of these interviews in extracting key information, stating that the closed-door setting allows for a more efficient gathering of information compared to public hearings. The committee may consider holding public hearings at a later stage, but for now, the focus is on conducting thorough interviews to uncover the truth.

Elizabeth Elkind, a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, is leading the coverage of the House of Representatives and providing updates on the ongoing investigation. Follow her on Twitter at @liz_elkind for more updates and send any tips or information to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com.