{"id":2482597,"date":"2025-09-04T18:38:01","date_gmt":"2025-09-04T22:38:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ex-biden-officials-sit-for-senate-interviews-on-apparent-mental-decline\/"},"modified":"2025-09-04T18:39:43","modified_gmt":"2025-09-04T22:39:43","slug":"ex-biden-officials-sit-for-senate-interviews-on-apparent-mental-decline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ex-biden-officials-sit-for-senate-interviews-on-apparent-mental-decline\/","title":{"rendered":"Ex-Biden officials sit for Senate interviews on apparent mental decline"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fex-biden-officials-sit-for-senate-interviews-on-apparent-mental-decline%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2482597&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article reports that senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) has conducted interviews with more than half a dozen former Biden governance officials as part of an investigation into President Joe Biden&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-and-gop-rivals-try-to-shift-focus-to-trumps-age-and-gaffes-in-2024-race\/\" title=\"Biden and GOP rivals target Trump...s age and gaffes in 2024 race.\">alleged mental decline<\/a>. Johnson, who leads the Senate Goverment Affairs Committee&#8217;s investigative efforts, has kept the identities of these officials mostly confidential but confirmed that former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was the first to be interviewed. This investigation began in May, prompted by the controversial book *Original Sin*, which alleged a cover-up regarding Biden&#8217;s mental health.<\/p>\n<p>parallel to this, the House Oversight Committee, led by Rep. James Comer (R-KY), is conducting its own inquiry with a focus on whether Biden&#8217;s inner circle concealed his health status from the public. Comer&#8217;s committee has used subpoenas to compel testimony from officials and has interviewed 11 people so far, exploring issues like the potential use of an autopen device to sign clemency documents without biden&#8217;s direct involvement.All interviewed officials have denied claims of Biden&#8217;s mental incapacity, though their testimonies have shed light on decision-making processes and delegation practices within the administration.<\/p>\n<p>While Comer has publicly shared some findings-such as revealing that top Biden spokesman Ian Sams met Biden in person only twice over two years-Johnson has maintained a low profile, describing the interviews as routine with no surprising revelations. Additional interviews are planned with key figures like Andrew Bates, Karine Jean-Pierre, and former chief of staff Jeff Zients.the investigations aim to clarify concerns about Biden&#8217;s mental fitness and the administration&#8217;s handling of related matters. <br \/> <!DOCTYPE html><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Ex-Biden officials sit for Senate interviews on <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >apparent mental decline<\/a><\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2220863\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Sen. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ron-johnson\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ron Johnson<\/a> (R-WI) has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/no-appointing-a-special-counsel-is-not-a-license-for-doj-to-obstruct-congress\/\" title=\"No, ...Special Counsel... doesn...t allow DOJ to obstruct Congress.\">conducted transcribed interviews<\/a> with &ldquo;more than half a dozen&rdquo; former Biden officials as part of his investigation into the ex<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/media-tacitly-admit-biden-harris-border-policy-is-a-total-failure\/\" title=\"Media Tacitly Admit Biden-Harris Border Policy Is A Total Failure\">-president&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s apparent mental decline.<\/p>\n<p>In a brief interview, Johnson, who runs the investigative arm of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/senate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Senate&rsquo;s<\/a> Government Affairs Committee, declined to name the officials who sat for interviews but previously disclosed that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tom-vilsack\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tom Vilsack<\/a>, the former agriculture secretary under President Joe Biden, was the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3471837\/ron-johnson-biden-pardon-emails-investigation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">first to appear<\/a> earlier this summer.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3793632\/tim-kaine-and-ted-cruz-spat-sparks-debate-on-god-given-rights\/\">Tim Kaine and Ted Cruz spat sparks debate on God-given rights<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3793045\/watch-live-rfk-jr-testifies-at-senate-hearing-amid-cdc-drama\/\">WATCH LIVE: RFK Jr. testifies at Senate hearing amid CDC drama&nbsp;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3792816\/paul-rips-venezuela-boat-strike-says-even-the-worst-people-still-get-a-trial\/\">Paul rips Venezuela boat strike, says &#8216;even the worst people&#8217; still get a trial<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>His panel will compile a report from the investigation, which began in May after the bombshell book <em>Original Sin<\/em> alleged a cover-up of Biden&rsquo;s mental state. In total, Johnson sent letters to 28 Cabinet members requesting that they sit for voluntary interviews.<\/p>\n<p>The House Oversight Committee is conducting a parallel inquiry intent on demonstrating that Biden&rsquo;s inner circle shielded his health from public scrutiny, and its chairman, Rep. James Comer (R-KY), has resorted to subpoenas to compel testimony.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Comer&rsquo;s team has <span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3785387\/comer-house-oversight-tempo-gop-control-washington\/\" target=\"_blank\">interviewed 11 officials<\/a>&nbsp;so far to evaluate<\/span> whether the White House used an autopen device to sign clemency decisions without direct input from Biden, with varying levels of cooperation from the former officials.<\/p>\n<p>All have denied that Biden was mentally diminished, though the interviews have offered a window into how decisions were made under his administration and when he delegated use of the autopen.<\/p>\n<p>Comer has given oxygen to the investigation with his disclosure of interview findings, most recently <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3777365\/biden-spokesman-ian-sams-met-former-president-twice-comer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">revealing<\/a> that Ian Sams, a top White House spokesman, only met with Biden in person twice across his two-year tenure.<\/p>\n<p>Johnson, by contrast, has cut a low profile with his investigation and downplayed any explosive revelations from the interviews. Instead, he said, the sitdowns are chiefly for historical posterity.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3792448\/senate-gop-september-rule-change-vote-nominee-backlog\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>SENATE GOP EYES SEPTEMBER RULE CHANGE VOTE TO BREAK NOMINEE BACKLOG<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;No bombshells yet, nothing unexpected,&rdquo; Johnson told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. &ldquo;People are towing the company line, which is pretty much what I expected.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>This month, Comer&rsquo;s team will conduct additional interviews with Andrew Bates and Karine Jean-Pierre, who together helped run Biden&rsquo;s press office, and Jeff Zients, his former chief of staff.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ex-Biden officials interviewed in Senate probe of mental decline<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2651,"featured_media":2482598,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/AP25247654477264.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[3620,5045,35390,62625,62624],"class_list":["post-2482597","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-biden","tag-government","tag-mental-health","tag-political-officials","tag-senate-interviews"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/AP25247654477264.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2482597","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2651"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2482597"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2482597\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2482601,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2482597\/revisions\/2482601"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2482598"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2482597"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2482597"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2482597"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}