By JOEY CAPPELLETTI, Related Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Almost six months after Joe Biden left the White Home, Senate Republicans are nonetheless scrutinizing his presidency, kicking off the primary in what’s anticipated to be a collection of congressional hearings this 12 months on his psychological health in workplace.
Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee introduced in three witnesses Wednesday — none of whom served in Biden’s administration — to scrutinize his time in workplace, arguing that Biden, his employees and the media should be held accountable. Democrats boycotted the listening to and criticized Republicans for “arm chair diagnosing” Biden when the committee might be trying into critical issues.
Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who co-chaired the listening to, stated that they may purpose to “shine a light on exactly what went on in the White House during Biden’s presidency.”
“We simply cannot ignore what transpired because President Biden is no longer in office,” Cornyn stated.
A spokesperson for Biden declined to touch upon the listening to.
Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., questions the witnesses throughout a Senate Committee on the Judiciary listening to oon Capitol Hill, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photograph/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
It was the primary in what might be a number of hearings about Biden within the coming months. Over within the Home, the Oversight Committee has subpoenaed a number of of Biden’s former employees members, alongside along with his White Home physician, ordering him to testify at a June 27 listening to “as part of the investigation into the cover-up of President Joe Biden’s cognitive decline.”
Questions on Biden’s age and health erupted final summer season after his disastrous efficiency in a debate in opposition to Donald Trump, which in the end led to his withdrawal from the race.
Even after Trump received again the presidency in November, Republicans have continued to hammer on Biden’s age, citing partly new reporting about Biden that was printed this 12 months.
Trump now alleges that Biden administration officers might have cast the previous president’s signature and brought sweeping actions with out his information, although he offered no proof of that occuring. However Trump has ordered legal professionals on the White Home and the Justice Division to research.
Republicans performed clips in the course of the listening to Wednesday of Democrats defending Biden. Within the montage, the Democrats discuss how Biden was mentally sharp when he was in workplace.
“Most Democrats on this committee have chosen to all but boycott the hearing and have failed to call a single witness,” stated Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo. “They have chosen to ignore this issue, like they ignored President Biden’s decline.”
Sen. Dick Durbin, the committee’s prime Democrat, criticized Republicans for holding a listening to on the final president at a time when “numerous critical challenges facing the nation that are under our jurisdiction.”
“Apparently arm chair diagnosing former President Biden is more important than the issues of grave concern,” stated Durbin of Illinois.
After his opening remarks, Durbin performed a video montage of his personal — however with clips of Trump talking that he stated mirrored the “cognitive ability” of the present president. Durbin left the listening to after his opening remarks.
Three witnesses testified: former White Home Press Secretary Sean Spicer, former White Home official Theodore Wold and College of Virginia regulation professor John Harrison. Spicer and Wold each served underneath Trump.
Sean Spicer, former White Home press secretary, host of The Sean Spicer Present, arrives to testify at a Senate Committee on the Judiciary listening to oon Capitol Hill, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photograph/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
A lot of the main focus was on Biden’s alleged use of an autopen. Trump has repeated long-standing allegations that the Biden White Home relied on an autopen to signal presidential pardons, government orders and different key paperwork, claiming that its use forged doubt on their validity.
GOP Sen. Katie Britt additionally questioned Spicer on “what mechanisms should we put in place” to carry the media accountable “for not actually following what is clearly in front of them.”
