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The former White House physician to President Biden has requested a delay in his scheduled congressional testimony, citing legal and ethical concerns amid a House investigation into Biden’s cognitive health and decision-making during his presidency.
Some shit you should know before you read: If you’re unaware, the Republican-led House Oversight Committee launched an investigation into President Biden’s cognitive health and overall fitness to serve following a series of public incidents, media reports, and growing concerns over his mental acuity during his time in office. Lawmakers pointed to moments of visible confusion, memory lapses, and questions surrounding his awareness of official decisions as potential indicators of cognitive decline. In response, the committee began probing whether Biden’s aides or family members may have concealed signs of deteriorating health and whether critical executive functions were being carried out without his full knowledge or consent. Central to the inquiry is whether the former president was mentally capable of authorizing key policies or if tools like the autopen were used to mask his disengagement from presidential duties.
What’s going on now: In a notable development, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, the former White House physician to President Biden, formally requested a delay in his scheduled deposition before the House Oversight Committee. In a letter sent Saturday to Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-KY), O’Connor’s attorney, David Schertler, argued that the current terms of the deposition risk violating long-standing principles of doctor-patient confidentiality. “Dr. O’Connor has legal and ethical obligations that he must satisfy and for which violations carry serious consequences to him professionally and personally,” Schertler wrote, warning that testifying without proper limitations could jeopardize O’Connor’s medical license.
O’Connor is requesting that the deposition be rescheduled to the week of July 29 or August 5 to allow time to negotiate conditions that would “protect the very substantial privilege and confidentiality interests” of both Dr. O’Connor and former President Biden. The physician’s legal team expressed concern over the unprecedented nature of the committee’s demands, stating, “We are unaware of any prior occasion on which a Congressional Committee has subpoenaed a physician to testify about the treatment of an individual patient.”
Despite the request, the House Oversight Committee has rejected any postponement. A committee spokeswoman called the move “another delay tactic to stonewall the Oversight Committee’s investigation” and confirmed that the deposition will proceed as scheduled. The committee maintains that O’Connor cannot opt out of appearing due to privilege concerns, stating, “Dr. O’Connor is not permitted to disregard a congressional deposition subpoena because he believes he may be asked questions that, in his view, will implicate privileged information.”
