WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — Dr. Kevin O’Connor, President Joe Biden’s longtime White House physician, refused to answer questions during a closed-door hearing on Capitol Hill Wednesday. His decision comes as the Republican-led House Oversight Committee continues its investigation into Biden’s age, health, and mental fitness during his time in office.
O’Connor’s attorneys said he invoked his Fifth Amendment rights and doctor-patient privilege to avoid answering questions related to the president’s cognitive health. They emphasized that this legal move does not suggest wrongdoing. The committee called Dr. O’Connor to testify after growing scrutiny over Biden’s physical and mental condition, especially following his recent decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race.
Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., has accused the White House of hiding details about Biden’s health. In a letter to O’Connor last month, Comer requested testimony regarding the doctor’s past medical evaluations of Biden. He cited O’Connor’s February 2023 medical memo that described Biden as a “healthy, active, robust 81-year-old male.”
But when asked to speak behind closed doors, O’Connor declined. His lawyers, David Schertler and Mark MacDougall, said the doctor would not answer questions due to the political nature of the investigation and ongoing legal risks. They argued that doctor-patient confidentiality and constitutional protections justified the move.
“The totality of the circumstances surrounding this committee’s investigation leaves Dr. O’Connor no choice but to decline to answer questions,” they said in a statement. Chairman Comer expressed outrage after O’Connor refused to testify. He claimed the doctor’s silence added “fuel to the fire” and suggested a possible cover-up.
“Most people invoke the Fifth when they have criminal liabilities, and that’s what it would appear on the surface here,” Comer told reporters. “This is something I think every American is concerned about. I think every American wants to know the truth.”
Comer also pointed to the memo written by O’Connor in 2023, calling it a potential example of misleading information given to the public. He vowed to continue the investigation and said more witnesses would soon appear before the committee. The hearing took place shortly after former President Donald Trump ordered a new investigation into whether individuals had misled the public about Biden’s mental health.
Trump’s office wants to know if others improperly exercised presidential authority during Biden’s time in office. This latest development adds a political edge to an already sensitive issue. The topic of presidential fitness remains central in national debates as the 2024 election approaches. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, a member of the Oversight Committee, defended O’Connor’s decision to plead the Fifth. She cited legal concerns due to an ongoing criminal investigation possibly involving the doctor.
“With this rogue DOJ that has decided that it wants to run a contemporaneous criminal investigation involving the doctor, I think he did what any good lawyer would advise him to do,” Crockett said. She also criticized the committee’s focus on past events, arguing that current issues deserve more attention.
“I don’t understand why we keep looking backwards,” she said. “The reality is that the country wasn’t off the rails when Joe Biden was sitting in the White House. The country is off the rails right now.”
O’Connor’s decision not to testify marks a major turning point in the GOP’s investigation into President Biden’s health. As lawmakers on both sides trade accusations, the broader conversation about age, fitness, and transparency in the presidency continues to grow. This issue could remain in the spotlight as the nation heads into a highly charged election season, with questions about leadership and health becoming key topics for voters.
