Former President Joe Biden's physician has asked to delay his testimony before the House oversight committee this week, citing the need for an agreement that will respect doctor-patient confidentiality rules as part of the investigation into Biden's health in office.
Dr. Kevin O'Connor, who served as Biden's physician at the White House, requested a delay until the end of July or early August "to reach an accommodation that will protect the very substantial privilege and confidentiality interests of Dr. O'Connor and former President Biden," according to a letter from his lawyer sent to Rep. James Comer of Kentucky on Saturday. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the letter.
A spokesperson for Oversight Republicans said the committee will follow the House's deposition guidelines, which allow for witnesses to assert privilege on a question-by-question basis, with the committee chair ruling on each claim. But O'Connor is not allowed, in the committee's view, to delay or decline a congressional subpoena due to concerns over questions about potentially privileged information.
The back-and-forth is part of a broader struggle over the scope of the House Republican inquiry into Biden's age and mental fitness, with serious implications for both politics and policy. Republicans have also claimed that some policies carried out by the White House "autopen" may be invalid if it is proven that Biden was mentally incapacitated for some part of his term.
Biden has strongly denied claims that he was not in a right state of mind at any point while in office, calling the claims "ridiculous and false."