Anthony Bernal, Chief of Staff to former First Lady Jill Biden, has declined to appear before the House Oversight Committee as part of its investigation into President Joe Biden’s mental fitness, according to committee chair Rep. James Comer (R-KY).
Bernal had previously agreed to a transcribed interview scheduled for June 26, but subsequent to the White House waiving executive privilege for several former aides, his attorneys informed the committee that he would no longer participate.
Rep. Comer responded sharply:
“With no privilege left to hide behind, Anthony Bernal … never intended to be transparent … The Oversight Committee will not tolerate this obstruction,” he said, announcing that he has issued a subpoena requiring Bernal to testify on July 16.
The committee is examining whether top aides concealed signs of cognitive decline in President Biden—especially in light of revelations from former Staff Secretary Neera Tanden and others who described limited direct interaction with the president and the use of an autopen for official documents.
Additional scrutiny has fallen on Bernal following comments by DNC vice chair David Hogg and a former White House employee, who described him as wielding “an enormous amount of power” within the West Wing and influencing staff decisions behind the scenes.
Bernal’s testimony now looms as a central test in the committee’s broader effort to determine “who was really calling the shots in the Biden White House,” according to Comer
