Latest news with #HouseOversightCommittee
New York Post
a day ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Ex-Biden press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, chief of staff asked to discuss alleged cover-up of prez's health
WASHINGTON — The House Oversight Committee on Friday asked four senior Biden White House aides to appear for questions about the alleged coverup of the 46th president's cognitive decline. Ex-press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who has authored a forthcoming tell-all book about the 'broken' administration she served, received a summons, as did Biden's final White House chief of staff, Jeff Zients. Jean-Pierre's deputy, Andrew Bates, and former White House counsel's office spokesman Ian Sams also were asked to appear for questioning. Advertisement '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,'' said Oversight Committee chairman James Comer (R-Ky.). 'They fed these false talking points to progressive allies and the media, who helped perpetuate that President Biden was fit to serve. As part of our aggressive investigation into the cover-up of his cognitive decline and potentially unauthorized executive actions, we must hear from the those who aided and abetted this farce.' The panel on Tuesday interviewed Biden's former domestic policy adviser Neera Tanden, who also served nearly two years as the former president's staff secretary — one of the few figures granted authority to use an autopen for official documents. Advertisement Republicans said that Tanden claimed she infrequently interacted with Biden himself and would send memos to other senior aides regarding auto-pen decisions, and then would receive instructions in response — raising questions about who relayed the president's wishes. Comer on Thursday issued a subpoena to compel the testimony of Anthony Bernal after he reneged on an agreement to appear voluntarily. Bernal leads Biden's post-presidential transition office and is regarded by former first lady Jill Biden as her 'work husband.'
The Hill
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hill
New Top Oversight Democrat: Stephen Miller ‘biggest piece of s—‘ in US
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), the newly elected top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, laid into White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller Thursday over his support for President Trump's robust immigration crackdown. 'Stephen Miller is doing what he loves to do, which is be essentially the biggest piece of s— in this country,' Garcia said in an appearance on the Pod Save America podcast. 'Stephen Miller should be ashamed for the way he's acting. I can't even believe he's from our state, which actually makes me more, uh, more, more sick,' he told host Jon Favreau. The California lawmaker went further, warning the American dream is being 'ripped away' from immigrants through continued raids and deportations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as well as large-scale arrests and subsequent protests. In response to the initiative, hundreds in California, Texas, New York and beyond have taken to the streets to demonstrate against Trump's mass deportation agenda. Garcia encouraged individuals to attend the non-violent demonstrations while lawmakers continue to fight what he called injustices in court. 'We've got to continue winning in the courts, and that's going to continue,' the lawmaker said. 'And the other piece of it, people's reaction, the protesting, the anger, the rising up against these actions also is having an effect. And you're seeing that, I mean, what's happening in LA, which was widely, as you know, mostly peaceful.' The president and White House have contended that the demonstrations, primarily those in Los Angeles earlier this month, could put ICE agents in danger. In response, the president authorized the deployment of National Guard soldiers and Marines to California to quell the unrest. 'Yes, there were some incidents of violence we denounced as we get that, but widely peaceful,' Garcia continued on the podcast. 'The protests are energizing the population and the public to stand up against us, and we are seeing the impact it's having on the Republicans electorally.' He added, 'I mean, Trump's immigration numbers have never been as low as they are right now because they're seeing what he wants to do implemented across the country.' The administration has also touted record low border encounters in recent weeks, citing border security policies implemented when Trump returned to the Oval Office. 'In the last 24 hours the Border Patrol encountered a total of 95 illegal aliens across the entire southern border. That is the lowest number EVER recorded,' border czar Tom Homan wrote in a statement on social platform X. 'To continue this great work and make it more permanent, we need the Big Beautiful Bill passed so we can finish the job, to include the biggest deportation operation the American people voted for,' he added, citing the massive reconciliation package currently making its way through the Senate. Republicans have just a week to get the tax and spending bill to Trump's desk before a self-imposed July 4 deadline — but that timeline has faced some road bumps due to internal divisions over cuts and the Senate parliamentarian's latest decisions.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former top aide to Jill Biden is subpoenaed by House Oversight panel
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans on the House Oversight Committee issued a subpoena Thursday to Anthony Bernal, a senior aide to former first lady Jill Biden, as part of their rapidly expanding investigation into former President Joe Biden's mental fitness while in office. The subpoena signed by Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, the Republican Oversight chairman, requires Bernal to appear for a deposition on July 16. It came after several weeks of back-and-forth with Bernal's lawyer over the timing of a voluntary interview. "Given your close connection with both former President Biden and former First Lady Jill Biden, the Committee sought to understand if you contributed to an effort to hide former President Biden's fitness to serve from the American people," the subpoena reads. 'To avoid any further delays, your appearance before the Committee is now compelled.' Bernal is the second former Biden staffer to be subpoenaed by the committee and unlikely to be the last. The committee this week heard voluntary testimony from Neera Tanden, a former director of Biden's domestic policy counsel, and is intent on securing interviews with several other members of Biden's inner circle as part of its investigation. Bernal did not respond Thursday to a message seeking comment. Comer has also subpoenaed Dr. Kevin O'Connor, who served as Biden's physician at the White House. O'Connor will testify before the committee on July 9. It's all part of a remarkable Republican effort, supported by President Donald Trump, to investigate the last occupant of the Oval Office six months after he left office. Trump himself has ordered White House lawyers and the Justice Department to investigate Biden, questioning the legitimacy of his use of the autopen to sign pardons and other documents. Boosting the GOP investigation, Trump has waived executive privilege for eight former Biden administration officials to testify to Congress, including Bernal, according to a White House official who was not authorized to speak publicly and insisted on anonymity. With the privilege lifted, former staffers are free to discuss their interactions with Biden while he was president. In addition to Bernal, executive privilege has been waived for Biden White House senior advisers Mike Donilon and Anita Dunn, former White House chief of staff Ron Klain, former deputy chief of staff Bruce Reed, former counselor to the president Steve Ricchetti, former deputy chief of staff Annie Tomasini and a former assistant to the president, Ashley Williams. Comer is seeking interviews with all of them. Democrats have dismissed the inquiry into Biden's mental state as a partisan exercise that distracts from other pressing issues. Rep. Wesley Bell, a Missouri Democrat who sits on the Oversight committee, said after the interview with Tanden that it 'was an extraordinary waste of time' and produced 'no new evidence.' Bell said lawmakers should focus on issues like the costs of food, housing and potential changes to healthcare policy rather than 'dig up some kind of post-impeachment, or whatever we're doing here.' The unfolding investigation has significant implications for politics and policy. Republican lawmakers have argued that any executive actions or policies enacted through the autopen procedure could be found invalid if Biden were somehow incapacitated or not of a sound state of mind while in office. Trump and his allies have claimed, without evidence, that Biden was not aware of the actions his administration had taken on a range of issues, including presidential pardons, environmental policy and labor rights, among other issues. A move to reverse such executive actions, which would almost certainly face legal scrutiny and a battle in the courts, could impact scores of executive orders taken throughout Biden's term. 'Let this subpoena send a clear message to Biden's inner circle: We will stop at nothing to expose the truth about Joe Biden's decline (and) unauthorized use of the autopen,' Comer wrote on social media. Biden said several weeks ago that he was fully in control as president. 'Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations,' the former president said in a statement. 'Any suggestion that I didn't is ridiculous and false.' Trump this month directed his administration to investigate Biden's actions as president, arguing that aides engaged in a 'conspiracy' to mask Biden's mental state. Senate Republicans have also launched their own inquiries. 'We need to know who was in charge during the last months of the Biden administration. Was it his wife, his chief of staff, nameless others? None of these people were elected by the American people, nor were they authorized by the Constitution and laws of the United States to carry out the duties of the president of the United States,' Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said during a June hearing. ___ Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report. Biden's statement on that from a few weeks ago:'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.'
2 days ago
- Politics
Former top aide to Jill Biden is subpoenaed by House Oversight panel
WASHINGTON -- Republicans on the House Oversight Committee issued a subpoena Thursday to Anthony Bernal, a senior aide to former first lady Jill Biden, as part of their rapidly expanding investigation into former President Joe Biden's mental fitness while in office. The subpoena signed by Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, the Republican Oversight chairman, requires Bernal to appear for a deposition on July 16. It came after several weeks of back-and-forth with Bernal's lawyer over the timing of a voluntary interview. "Given your close connection with both former President Biden and former First Lady Jill Biden, the Committee sought to understand if you contributed to an effort to hide former President Biden's fitness to serve from the American people," the subpoena reads. 'To avoid any further delays, your appearance before the Committee is now compelled.' Bernal is the second former Biden staffer to be subpoenaed by the committee and unlikely to be the last. The committee this week heard voluntary testimony from Neera Tanden, a former director of Biden's domestic policy counsel, and is intent on securing interviews with several other members of Biden's inner circle as part of its investigation. Bernal did not respond Thursday to a message seeking comment. Comer has also subpoenaed Kevin O'Connor, who served as Biden's physician at the White House. O'Connor will testify before the committee on July 9. It's all part of a remarkable Republican effort, supported by President Donald Trump, to investigate the last occupant of the Oval Office six months after he left office. Trump himself has ordered White House lawyers and the Justice Department to investigate Biden, questioning the legitimacy of his use of the autopen to sign pardons and other documents. Boosting the GOP investigation, Trump has waived executive privilege for eight former Biden administration officials to testify to Congress, including Bernal, according to a White House official who was not authorized to speak publicly and insisted on anonymity. With the privilege lifted, former staffers are free to discuss their interactions with Biden while he was president. In addition to Bernal, executive privilege has been waived for Biden White House senior advisers Mike Donilon and Anita Dunn, former White House chief of staff Ron Klain, former deputy chief of staff Bruce Reed, former counselor to the president Steve Ricchetti, former deputy chief of staff Annie Tomasini and a former assistant to the president, Ashley Williams. Comer is seeking interviews with all of them. Democrats have dismissed the inquiry into Biden's mental state as a partisan exercise that distracts from other pressing issues. Rep. Wesley Bell, a Missouri Democrat who sits on the Oversight committee, said after the interview with Tanden that it 'was an extraordinary waste of time' and produced 'no new evidence.' Bell said lawmakers should focus on issues like the costs of food, housing and potential changes to healthcare policy rather than 'dig up some kind of post-impeachment, or whatever we're doing here.' The unfolding investigation has significant implications for politics and policy. Republican lawmakers have argued that any executive actions or policies enacted through the autopen procedure could be found invalid if Biden were somehow incapacitated or not of a sound state of mind while in office. Trump and his allies have claimed, without evidence, that Biden was not aware of the actions his administration had taken on a range of issues, including presidential pardons, environmental policy and labor rights, among other issues. A move to reverse such executive actions, which would almost certainly face legal scrutiny and a battle in the courts, could impact scores of executive orders taken throughout Biden's term. 'Let this subpoena send a clear message to Biden's inner circle: We will stop at nothing to expose the truth about Joe Biden's decline (and) unauthorized use of the autopen,' Comer wrote on social media. Trump this month directed his administration to investigate Biden's actions as president, arguing that aides engaged in a 'conspiracy' to mask Biden's mental state. Senate Republicans have also launched their own inquiries. 'We need to know who was in charge during the last months of the Biden administration. Was it his wife, his chief of staff, nameless others? None of these people were elected by the American people, nor were they authorized by the Constitution and laws of the United States to carry out the duties of the president of the United States,' Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said during a June hearing.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Dead congressman's social media account accused of ‘necroposting' endorsement of successor
The X account of late Virginia Congressman Gerry Connolly was used to share an endorsement of his former chief of staff as his chosen successor, with many finding the move unappealing. Connolly died on May 21 after he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. He previously announced that he wouldn't be running for re-election at the age of 75, having been in the House of Representatives since 2009. In December of last year, Connolly defeated New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in a race to serve as the ranking Democrat on the influential House Oversight Committee, to the annoyance of some younger and more progressive Democrats who had been pushing for a generational shift in the party. His death made the situation worse. Connolly was the third House Democrat to die in office this year, following the deaths of Texas Rep. Sylvester Turner, 70, and Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva, 77. Connolly became the eighth congressional Democrat to die in office since 2022. The vacant Democratic seats have created more room for Republicans to maneuver in the House. Two weeks before his death, Connolly endorsed his former chief of staff, James Walkinshaw, to succeed him. 'For over two decades, [Walkinshaw] stood by my side — as my chief of staff, my partner in progress, and my closest ally in the fight for Northern Virginia,' Connolly wrote on May 7. 'Today, I'm proud to endorse him to succeed me in Congress. James is ready to lead on day one.' Connolly died two weeks later. After his death, his X account was updated to state that 'Congressman Connolly passed away 5/21/2025. All posts made with the consent of the Connolly family.' The first post after his death came one month later on June 24. It has since been deleted. 'Early voting starts TODAY in VA-11! Before passing, Gerry endorsed @JamesWalkinshaw to carry the torch. Let's honor that legacy and vote for bold leadership that'll fight for us every day,' the post stated, linking to Walkinshaw's campaign site. The post quickly garnered criticism. Democratic operative Kamran Fareedi previously criticized the Connolly campaign for sending out emails after his death, calling it 'beyond unethical.' However, he said the June 24 post on X 'goes beyond emailing on the late-Rep. Connolly's behalf after he passed away.' Dustin Keith, a supporter of Irene Shin, one of Walkinshaw's challengers, wrote on X that the post was 'exactly why Walkinshaw should lose.' 'It's entirely inappropriate and disgusting to exploit access to the late Congressman's socials for your own political gain,' Keith added. Others criticized the account's ' necroposting ' as ' ghoulish,' ' grotesque,' ' unethical,' ' disgusting,' and ' creepy.' 'Tweeting from the account of someone who just passed doesn't sit right with me,' MSNBC contributor Rotimi Adeoye wrote. 'And personally, I really dislike when Congressional staff immediately jump in to run for their boss's seat: feels opportunistic and leaves a bad taste.' Walkinshow is running in the June 28th primary for Connelly's seat against nine other Democrats. He has also been endorsed by top Virginia Democrats such as Rep. Don Beyer, former Rep. Jennifer Wexton, Rep. Eugene Vindman, and a large number of state lawmakers. The Independent
