Former President Biden’s personal physician pleaded the 5th Amendment and cited physician-patient privilege during a deposition with the House Oversight Committee Wednesday. Dr. Kevin O’Connor did not answer whether he was ever told to lie about the president’s health and whether Biden was fit to be president.
The deposition was part of a House Oversight Committee investigation into Biden’s mental fitness and the potentially unauthorized use of the autopen to sign pardons and executive orders.
“It’s clear there was a conspiracy to cover up President Biden’s cognitive decline after Dr. Kevin O’Connor, Biden’s physician and family business associate, refused to answer any questions and chose to hide behind the Fifth Amendment,” Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., said.
Republicans contend O’Connor’s lack of cooperation “all but confirmed” that White House employees covered up President Biden’s decline.
O’Connor answered questions by reading the following statement: “On the advice of counsel, I must respectfully decline to answer based on the physician-patient privilege and reliance on my right under the 5th Amendment of the Constitution. I’m not a lawyer and I must follow my lawyer’s advice in this matter.”
WATCH O’CONNOR TESTIFY HERE:
His lawyer, David Schertler, explained that Dr. O’Connor would assert both privileges for all questions asked during the deposition.
Schertler said the committee indicated that it would be willing to reveal confidential information about the medical examinations, treatment and care of President Biden.
“Revealing confidential patient information would violate the most fundamental ethical duty of any physician,” Schertler told the committee. “It could also result in the revocation of Doctor O’Connor’s medical license and could subject him to civil liability.”
Democrats on the committee said they understood that he could not violate doctor-patient confidentiality and that if he answered questions, he could be in breach of his legal and ethical obligations to his patient, potentially suffering grave professional and personal consequences.
Republicans have also called for the testimony of senior members of the press office, including Karine Jean-Pierre, Ian Sams, Andrew Bates and Biden’s Chief of Staff, Jeff Zeints.
“President Biden’s inner circle repeatedly told the American people that he was ‘sharp as ever,’ dismissing any commentary about his obvious mental decline as ‘gratuitous.’ They fed these false talking points to progressive allies and the media, who helped perpetuate that President Biden was fit to serve,” Comer said.
The Justice Department is conducting a parallel investigation into the use of the auto-pen. Republicans believe the Biden White House used a machine that can make signatures to sign important documents, such as pardons and executive orders, that the president may not have personally approved. Presidents, including Trump, use the machines. Schertler said Congress should halt its investigation until the criminal probe is complete.
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Author: Ray Bogan
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