A third aide who served former President Biden while he was in the White House has refused to testify before a congressional panel, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) said Friday.
Comer in a post on the social platform X said it was “unbelievable” that Annie Tomasini, who served as deputy director of Oval Office Operations, and others refused to answer “basic questions about … Biden’s fitness to serve.”
“It’s apparent they would rather hide key information to protect themselves and Joe Biden than be truthful with the American people about this historic scandal,” Comer said.
“There needs to be transparency and accountability, and we will continue to pursue the truth and examine options to get the answers we need,” he added.
Comer said Tomasini invoked the Fifth Amendment when asked if she was instructed to lie about Biden’s health or the handling of classified documents found in his garage. She was also asked if the former president or anyone in the White House instructed her to conceal or destroy classified material found at Biden’s home or office, and if she ever conspired with anyone in the White House to hide information regarding the Biden family’s business dealings, the Republican lawmaker added.
“The Committee has asked Ms. Tomasini to testify in connection with an investigation into use of the autopen. There is no actual evidence of wrongdoing by Ms. Tomasini, and President Biden has already confirmed that he made all decisions concerning the grants of clemency at the end of his term,” said Jonathan Su, Tomasini’s attorney, in a statement to the panel.
“It is well known that there is an ongoing federal criminal investigation into this matter by the Department of Justice, ordered by the current White House. This past week, the Chairman suggested that it is ‘very possible’ the investigation could generate criminal referrals to the Department of Justice. Under these circumstances, any reasonable person would seriously consider an invocation of their Fifth Amendment rights.”
Earlier this week, Anthony Bernal, informally known as former first lady Jill Biden’s “work husband,” refused to testify before the Oversight panel, as did Kevin O’Connor, Biden’s former doctor, earlier this month.
The White House and Comer allege that Biden staffers helped cover up the former president’s cognitive decline at the end of his term in office. Biden and Bernal have rejected the accusations.
“Most recently, the Committee seeks Mr. Bernal’s testimony based on a purported controversy regarding use of the autopen at the conclusion of President Biden’s term. President Biden has already confirmed that he personally made all decisions concerning his grants of clemency,” Bernal said in a statement sent to The Hill.
“While the Committee only recently began its autopen investigation, the Chairman has already declared that this matter is ‘the biggest scandal in Oval Office history,’” he added.
The former president shared similar sentiments during an interview published Sunday by The New York Times.
“Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false,” he told the news outlet.
Brett Samuels contributed.
Updated at 12:32 p.m. EDT
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