WASHINGTON — House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer broadened his investigation of the alleged coverup of President Biden’s mental decline Wednesday with interview requests for five more former White House advisers.
Comer (R-Ky.) is requesting closed-door transcribed interviews with former White House chief of staff Ron Klain, former de facto West Wing communications chief Anita Dunn and longtime Biden advisers Bruce Reed, Mike Donilon and Steve Ricchetti.
“The American people deserve full transparency and the House Oversight Committee is conducting a
thorough investigation to provide answers and accountability,” Comer said.
“The cover-up of President Biden’s mental decline is one of the greatest scandals in our nation’s history. These five former senior advisors were eyewitnesses to President Biden’s condition and operations within the Biden White House. They must appear before the House Oversight Committee and provide truthful answers about President Biden’s cognitive state and who was calling the shots.”
The oversight panel already has requested interviews with Biden’s presidential physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor, first lady Jill Biden’s former chief of staff Anthony Bernal and the president’s former West Wing aides Annie Tomasini, Neera Tanden and Ashley Williams.
The initial cohort are in the process of setting dates for their sit-downs — under the threat of subpoenas if they balk at the request.
Questioning by Comer’s staff is likely to touch on President Trump’s allegation that documents auto-penned during Biden’s tenure may have been signed without his knowledge — a contention that currently lacks solid evidence despite some former Biden aides finding the theory plausible.
Comer previously led a far-reaching inquiry into Joe Biden’s role in his son Hunter Biden and brother James Biden’s international consulting work during and after their powerful relative’s eight-year vice presidency — with that probe turning up evidence that Biden repeatedly interacted with his family’s foreign associates in nations where he steered US policy, such as China and Ukraine, despite his public denials.
The ongoing House probe is likely to expand to even more former Biden officials.
Although former presidents can assert executive privilege over their communications with advisers, the current White House occupant — Trump — is able to override such immunity from questioning.