Biden's former doctor refuses to answer questions in House Republican probe

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: Associated Press via WTOP

Biden’s former doctor refuses to answer questions in House Republican probe

The Associated Press
July 9, 2025, 11:12 AM

Former US President Joe Biden kneels in prayer during funeral services for Mark and Melissa Hortman at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis, Minn., on Saturday, June 28, 2025. (Alex.Kormann/Star Tribune via AP, Pool)(AP/Alex Kormann)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s former White House physician is refusing to answer questions as part of the House Republican investigation into Biden’s health in office. ... Dr. Kevin O’Connor invoked doctor-client privilege and his rights under the Fifth Amendment during an appearance Wednesday before the House Oversight Committee, his attorneys said.

Republicans are conducting a sweeping investigation into Biden’s actions in office and questioning whether the Democrat’s use of an autopen in office may have been invalid. They have also claimed that some policies carried out by the White House autopen may be invalid if it is proven that Biden was mentally incapacitated for some part of his term. ... Biden has strongly denied that he was not in a right state of mind at any point while in office, calling the claims “ridiculous and false.”

David Schertler, one of O’Connor’s lawyers, said in a written statement he prepared for the committee that the doctor would not violate his oath of confidentiality with his patients. He also said the House Oversight committee should hold off on its investigation until Attorney General Pam Bondi concludes an investigation that the Oversight Committee’s chair, Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, said she has launched into the use of the autopen.

“The pending Department of Justice criminal investigation leaves Dr. O’Connor no choice but to invoke his constitutional rights under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution to any questions posed by the Committee,” Schertler said in the statement.

{snip}

Read more: https://wtop.com/government/2025/07/bidens-former-doctor-refuses-to-answer-questions-in-house-republican-probe/

[Stargazer99]

1. Good for the doctor, someone with morals

[Oeditpus Rex]

35. I think you mean

ethics. Professional ethics

[turbinetree]

2. Let me get this straight it's alright for a traitor that had classified documents sitting a rat infested

house that serves meals and then pardons individuals that beat the living daylights against cops causing some to die during insurrection attempted coup because said individual prompted the shit in the first place because his feeling got hurt when he lost an election..............but his gang of shit wants to bring a former president in for granting pardons.......and then top off the entire shit show had a court grant the shit immunity to continue his crime wave........that's rich...........JFC...........you just can't make this shit show up.............

[Jilly_in_VA]

3. Why should he?

It's just a fucking witch hunt. Why am I reminded of HUAC? (Anyone here old enough to remember THEM?)

[soldierant]

16. Oh, yeah, I remember them vividly. McCarthy crumbled but HUAC lived on.

I think I was about 13 when I wrote a parody skit for Latin Class "Julius Caesar on the telephone (anyone remember Bob Newhart?) and referenced the "House Un-Roman Activities Committee." No one in class failed to get the joke. Does anyone else remember being told anything you did would become part of your "permanent record"?

[3catwoman3]

22. Ah, yes, the ever-present threat of "your permanent record."

A threat regularly employed by my mother. I got in trouble precisely once, in jr high (as it was known then). I was in the band, and band practice was held after lunch on M-W-F, and before lunch on T-Th. One Tuesday or Thursday, a bandmate and I were really hungry, so we decided to skip practice and go to lunch earlier rather than later. We were down in the principal's office in nothing flat. I'm sure my mother feared that I would never get into a good college because of this.

At about that same age, shorter skirts came into fashion, and girls were regularly called into "the office" for their skirts being too short. There was a skirt at a local department store that I really, really, really wanted but my mother wouldn't agree to it for fear it would be too short and be noticed by TPTB. It wasn't even particularly short - right above my knee cap, no thigh exposure. This has to now be about 60 years ago, and I still remember what the skirt looked like - a cute pleated number in a gray and yellow plaid.

[catrose]

30. Oh heavens, I thought that was just my mother who said that.

[RazorbackExpat]

20. I don't remember HUAC, but

I do remember Ken Starr's witch hunts against people associated with Bill Clinton in Arkansas. He eventually forced out then-governor Jim Guy Tucker, a Democrat, to pave the way for the then-lieutenant governor, a Republican, to become governor. The name of the lieutenant governor? Mike Huckabee

[LT Barclay]

4. I think the democrats should open an investigation into Reagan's mental health and threaten the same for trump

[maxsolomon]

6. Dems could have done a lot of things

But they can't open jack shit now.

[LT Barclay]

24. I don't know congressional rules. They can't start any investigation?

[yardwork]

26. That is correct. Democrats can't open investigations.

We are the minority on every committee, so even if a committee member tried to open an investigation, the majority of Republicans would shut it down.

We can't chair any committees. We have no power to initiate anything.

[sop]

5. I watched Joe Biden perform as president for four years, I never once thought he was "mentally incapacitated."

When Democrats take back the House, they need to hold similar hearings to exhaustively investigate Trump's mental capacity.

[3catwoman3]

10. "I never once thought he was "mentally incapacitated."

Nor did I. Nor did I think he was not fit to serve again. The party threw him away like a used Kleenex.

[soldierant]

19. Wow, isn't that the truth.

I cried for a week. I knew we had lost the election right then.

[LT Barclay]

25. I always thought it was a way to bully him about his stutter without being obvious about it.

And most right wingers probably don’t know that he has a speech impediment.

[catrose]

31. Bingo

[TomSlick]

7. The doctor had no choice. He may not violate a patient's privilege.

The MAGTs knew this. They got what they wanted.

[PatSeg]

8. Exactly and as you say, republicans know that

This is just another pointless diversion from the many scandals of the Trump administration. What a shameful waste of time, money, and resources.

[TomSlick]

32. The point was to have the doctor refuse to answer.

That gave them fodder for a claim of cover up. Typical MAGAt bad faith.

[PatSeg]

33. Yep, classic republican crap

We've seen them do such things over and over again, always looking for their next sound bite to distract from what they're actually doing.

[PSPS]

9. More distraction so fox has new footage for the cult.

[Ritabert]

11. If I were the doctor i'd answer....

I'll answer the question when Mr. Comer tells me how the lowest unemployment in recent history, the highest stock market, the populace vaccinated, drug prices slated to come down and the ability of us all to sleep soundly at night shows any mental impairment.

[Figarosmom]

12. Wasn't it Congress that passed HIPAA laws?

Then they should know their questions would go unanswered.

I can't stand these people and I hope they all lose their jobs one way or the other.

[cadoman]

36. I didn't understand why he kept citing the fifth instead of pleading patient confidentiality

It was absolutely maddening to watch. Like, if they ask you if you lied, just fucking say NO. If they ask you about the President's health, you say: that's between me and my patient and is none of your fucking business.

[Figarosmom]

37. Yeah i know

All those hearings drive me batty.

[Initech]

13. But yet Ronny Jackson gets a free lifetime gig in Congress for rigging Trump's cognitive test.

Because the GOP is criminally insane and drunk with power.

[Kali999]

38. candyman

He's the white house drug dealer. It's all shit now in our shithole government selected for us

[NBachers]

14. I wish they'd call me in front of that panel so I could give them the answer they deserve every fucking time.

[djacq]

15. Trump suggested injecting Bleach vs Biden's autopen use for good policy

Our tax dollars at good work for the people.

[LoisB]

17. Good on him.

[LudwigPastorius]

18. Trump's obsession with Biden's mental acuity:

[Paladin]

21. Good! (nt)

[Exp]

23. As he should! nt

[Beartracks]

27. More projection from Republicans about their own guy. Quelle surprise. n/t

[rampartd]

28. why the 5th?

did the doctor use the treasonous autopen?

[SheltieLover]

29. Good! Repukes need to crawl out of Joe's rectum and women's uterii.

[SunImp]

34. Always do what they did to us

Never let abusers get away with anything