Former President Biden’s private doctor Wednesday refused to reply a Republican congressional committee’s questions on his well being and health to serve, citing doctor-patient confidentiality.
Dr. Kevin O’Connor additionally invoked his rights beneath the Fifth Modification to keep away from answering questions throughout a Home Oversight Committee probe into whether or not Biden was incapable of serving as president, claims Biden strongly denies.
David Schertler, a lawyer for O’Connor’s attorneys, stated in a written assertion he ready for the committee that the physician wouldn’t violate his oath of confidentiality along with his sufferers.
FILE – President Joe Biden walks alongside the Colonnade on the White Home along with his doctor Kevin O’Connor, Aug. 28, 2023. (AP Picture/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)
The lawyer additionally asserted that the panel ought to maintain off on its investigation till Legal professional Basic Pam Bondi concludes an investigation into Biden’s supposed use of an autopen to signal some official paperwork.
“The pending Department of Justice criminal investigation leaves Dr. O’Connor no choice but to invoke his constitutional rights under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution to any questions posed by the Committee,” Schertler stated within the assertion.
Biden, who pulled the plug on his reelection marketing campaign final July after a poor debate efficiency in opposition to Trump, has strongly denied that he was not in a proper mind-set at any level whereas in workplace, calling the claims “ridiculous and false.”
Committee chair Rep. James Comer (R-Ky)-said O’Connor’s choice to not testify made it “clear there was a conspiracy” to cowl up Biden’s well being woes.
“The American people demand transparency, but Dr. O’Connor would rather conceal the truth,” Comer stated.
In a June subpoena of O’Connor, Comer stated that claims of physician-patient privilege beneath the American Medical Affiliation’s code of ethics “lack merit” as a result of that code shouldn’t be enshrined in federal regulation.
