The investigation into former President Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents and concerns over his cognitive fitness deepened on Friday, as a third former senior White House aide invoked the Fifth Amendment, refusing to answer questions from House investigators.
House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman James Comer confirmed that Annie Tomasini, former assistant to the president, deputy chief of staff for Oval Office Operations, declined to answer a series of questions during her closed-door deposition, citing her constitutional right against self-incrimination.
“Today, the third witness in our investigation into the cover-up of President Biden’s cognitive decline and unauthorized executive actions pleaded the Fifth Amendment,” Comer said in a statement. “There is now a pattern of key Biden confidants seeking to shield themselves from criminal liability for this potential conspiracy.”
Tomasini has first refused to appear before the committee, which resulted in the subpoena compelling her attendance.
According to Comer, Tomasini repeatedly invoked the Fifth when pressed on whether she had ever been instructed to mislead the public about Biden’s health or participated in concealing classified materials found at the president’s home or office. She also refused to answer questions about her involvement in managing classified documents discovered at the Penn Biden Center, including an early visit there before the public timeline acknowledged by the White House.
Tomasini joins Dr. Kevin O’Connor, Biden’s longtime personal physician, and senior advisor Anthony Bernal, both of whom also pleaded the Fifth earlier this month when questioned by the Oversight Committee.
The House investigation is examining whether top Biden aides participated in efforts to hide the president’s cognitive decline from the public and to obscure the circumstances surrounding the discovery of classified documents at multiple locations connected to Biden, including his Delaware residence and former Washington, DC office.
“It’s unbelievable that Ms. Tomasini and others refuse to answer basic questions about President Biden’s fitness to serve,” Comer said. “It’s apparent they would rather hide key information to protect themselves and Joe Biden than be truthful with the American people about this historic scandal.”
The Biden White House previously dismissed the GOP-led probe as politically motivated. However, Comer and committee Republicans point to what they describe as a “protective bubble” created by Biden’s closest aides, including Tomasini, Bernal, and Ashley Williams, to insulate the president from scrutiny.
The investigation remains ongoing, with Comer vowing to “continue to pursue the truth and examine options to get the answers we need.”
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform released the video of Annie Tomasini’s deposition: