- Dr. Kevin O'Connor, erstwhile White House physician to former President Biden, invoked physician-patient privilege and the Fifth Amendment during a closed-door congressional hearing, refusing to answer questions about Biden’s health.
- The House Oversight Committee (HOC), led by Rep. James Comer (R-KY), is investigating whether Biden's physical/mental decline was concealed while in office, with O'Connor's silence fueling GOP claims of a conspiracy.
- Democrats dismissed the probe as politically motivated, while Republicans framed O'Connor's defiance as evidence of broader secrecy around Biden's fitness for office.
- Presidents' health has long been controversial (e.g., Wilson's stroke, Reagan's lapses), but Biden's lack of a cognitive test – despite public stumbles – intensified scrutiny over transparency protocols.
- The investigation highlights tensions between executive privacy and public accountability, with upcoming testimonies (e.g., Ashley Williams) potentially reshaping transparency standards for future administrations.
Dr. Kevin O'Connor, former White House physician to the president, refused to answer questions during a closed-door congressional hearing on Wednesday, July 9.
O'Connor, who served as doctor to former President Joe Biden, cited physician-patient privilege and invoked his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination. This dramatic move escalated a House Oversight Committee (HOC) investigation into allegations of a coordinated effort to conceal Biden’s physical and mental decline while in office.
The probe, led by HOC Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-KY), centers on whether Biden was fit for office during his term from 2021 to early this year. It also investigated whether his use of an autopen device, which mechanically replicated his signature, legitimized documents signed during his presidency.
O'Connor left the hearing without comment as his attorneys disclosed his reliance on constitutional protections and medical confidentiality. "His assertion of his right under the Fifth Amendment to decline to answer questions … was made necessary by the unique circumstances of this deposition," they said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Comer asserted that the White House doctor's silence implied a broader cover-up, declaring it "clear [that] there was a conspiracy" to hide Biden's condition. Democrats dismissed the investigation as politically motivated, accusing Republicans of obsessing over the past while neglecting pressing national issues.
The growing scrutiny over Biden's cognitive decline
Historically, White House physicians have faced scrutiny over their handling of presidents' health, from Woodrow Wilson's hidden stroke in 1919 to Ronald Reagan's aides downplaying his memory lapses in the 1980s. Modern protocols, including voluntary cognitive tests, aim to ensure transparency.
However, O'Connor's refusal to order such an exam for Biden – despite visible stumbles in public appearances – fueled GOP suspicions. Legal experts note that while medical confidentiality is sacrosanct, presidential health is often treated as a matter of public interest – setting the stage for prolonged legal and legislative clashes. (Related: COVER-UP: White House chief doctor deems Biden fit to work, but omits cognitive test.)
Ashley Williams, former special assistant to the president and deputy director of Oval Office operations, is next on the stand – she is set to testify before the HOC on Friday, July 11. Her deposition will test whether Comer’s committee can extract clearer answers from White House insiders.
Meanwhile, O'Connor's defiance underscores deepening partisan divisions over accountability and whether past administrations' opacity justifies new laws enforcing disclosure. For now, the American public remains divided. One half sees a legitimate inquiry into executive fitness, the other half a political spectacle with little remedy.
This standoff reflects not just contemporary tensions, but a recurring dilemma in U.S. governance – balancing a leader's privacy against voters' right to know who governs. As the investigation continues, its findings could redefine transparency standards for future presidents.
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Watch Sean Hannity of Fox News expounding on the timeline of former President Joe Biden's "obvious cognitive decline" in this clip.
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