Comer ‘open’ to bringing Biden in for hearing

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) said Wednesday that he is “open” to bringing in former President Biden for questions after GOP lawmakers launched a probe earlier this month into Biden’s cognitive abilities and use of the autopen while in office.

In an interview on Fox News’s “Hannity,” host Sean Hannity questioned whether it would “even be worthwhile to bring” the former president in, noting “what a cognitive mess Joe was” during his October 2023 interview with special counsel Robert Hur.

“I mean, I would have to argue, probably not,” Hannity said.

“Well, I mean, again, we’re going to see who was giving the directive to sign these,” Comer said, referring to use of the autopen.

“If everyone says it was Joe Biden, then I’m certainly open to bring him in,” he added.

Audio from the conversation between the former president and Hur regarding the retention of classified documents was recently released by the Trump administration following a leak to media outlet Axios. The discussion appears to show Biden struggling to remember key details or stay on track.

Comer noted Wednesday how difficult it can be to bring in former presidents for testimony, pointing to Democrats’ efforts to compel Trump, after his first term, to appear before Congress.

“But at any rate, wherever the trail leads is where we’re going to [go],” the lawmaker said.

“Look, I would love to ask Joe Biden a lot of questions, but right now, we’re starting with the staffers who were operating the autopen,” he continued. “We’re going to bring the physician, Dr. [Kevin] O’Connor, in because he definitely was not telling the truth about Joe Biden’s health.”

Comer added that Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), a former White House physician, will counsel the Oversight panel on questions on the matter.

“We’re very fortunate to have a member of Congress that was the previous White House physician, so I think we’re going to be ready to go,” he said.

The Kentucky Republican has called for interviews and requested transcribed statements from five former aides to Biden amid the probe into what Comer describes as an effort to “cover up” the former president’s reported cognitive decline.

In additional to O’Connor, Comer has asked for testimony from Neera Tanden, former director of the Domestic Policy Council, and former assistants Anthony Bernal, Annie Tomasini and Ashley Williams.

Biden and the former first lady Jill Biden have denied reports alleging he experienced a sharp cognitive decline while in office. 

Comer told Hannity that he is also open to bringing in other members of the former president’s inner circle, including Jill Biden, his son Hunter Biden and former White House chief of staff Ron Klain.

“I would say Ron Klain’s a very good bet,” the lawmaker said. “But again, we’re going to see where that — where the trail leads.”