Biden's White House Doctor Refuses to Answer Questions in Mental Acuity Investigation

Strategic Insights -

Kevin O’Connor, the physician who served as White House doctor to former President Joseph R. Biden Jr. for all four years of his term, refused to answer questions from the House Oversight Committee in a Wednesday deposition. Citing both physician-patient privilege and his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, Dr. O’Connor invoked his constitutional rights to avoid answering questions about Mr. Biden's mental acuity and the use of an autopen, a device used by presidents to sign documents. The investigation is led by Republicans on the oversight panel, who are looking into whether Mr. Biden's staff concealed mental deficiencies that made him unable to perform presidential duties.

Key Takeaways:

  • Dr. Kevin O'Connor, the White House doctor to former President Joseph R. Biden Jr., refused to answer questions from the House Oversight Committee in a Wednesday deposition, citing physician-patient privilege and his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.
  • The investigation is focused on whether Mr. Biden's staff concealed mental deficiencies that made him unable to perform presidential duties, including questions about the use of an autopen to sign documents.
  • The Republicans leading the investigation have suggested that Mr. Biden's staff may have abused the autopen to carry out official actions in his name without his ability to make decisions.
  • Dr. O'Connor's lawyer, David Schertler, cited Mr. Trump's own invocation of the Fifth Amendment in other contexts and noted that the amendment protects "innocent people who might otherwise be ensnared in ambiguous circumstances."
  • Mr. Schertler also invoked physician-patient privilege, which sometimes lets doctors avoid disclosing confidential medical information for legal proceedings.
  • The committee has subpoenaed many former top Biden aides, including Ron Klain, Mike Donilon, Anita Dunn, Bruce Reed, and Steve Ricchetti, with Dr. O' Connor being the second to decline answering questions.
  • The first to testify before the committee was Neera Tanden, who had served as Mr. Biden's staff secretary and then his domestic policy adviser.

Statistics:

  • 4 years: The duration of Dr. O'Connor's service as White House doctor to President Biden.
  • 1: The number of Biden aides to have declined answering questions in the investigation, including Dr. O'Connor and Anthony Bernal.
  • 7: The number of former top Biden aides subpoenaed by the committee.
  • 1: The number of previous leaders who have used an autopen, including President Trump.

Sources:

  • "The New York Times"
  • Doug Mills, Photographer