WASHINGTON — Nearly six months after Joe Biden left the White House, Senate Republicans are intensifying their scrutiny of his presidency, holding the first in a series of hearings this year to examine his mental fitness during his time in office.
Republicans from the Senate Judiciary Committee invited three witnesses on Wednesday — none of whom served in Biden’s administration — to assess his performance. They argued that Biden, his staff, and the media must be held accountable for the administration’s actions. Democrats, however, boycotted the hearing, accusing Republicans of “armchair diagnosing” Biden instead of addressing pressing national issues.
Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who co-chaired the hearing, emphasized the committee’s goal of shedding light on what transpired in the White House during Biden’s presidency. “We simply cannot ignore what happened just because President Biden is no longer in office,” he said.
A spokesperson for Biden declined to comment on the hearing.
This hearing marks the beginning of what may be a series of congressional investigations into Biden’s fitness for office. In the House, the Oversight Committee has subpoenaed several of Biden’s former staffers, including his White House doctor, to testify at a June 27 hearing. This is part of an ongoing inquiry into claims that Biden’s cognitive decline was covered up.
Concerns about Biden’s age and mental sharpness resurfaced last summer following a poor debate performance against Donald Trump, which led to his withdrawal from the race. Even after Trump’s return to the presidency in November, Republicans have continued to criticize Biden’s age, citing new reports about his condition.
Trump has also alleged that Biden administration officials may have forged his signature and taken actions without his knowledge, though no evidence has been provided. Trump has instructed his lawyers at the White House and the Justice Department to investigate these claims.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Republicans played clips of Democrats defending Biden, showing statements that praised his mental clarity while in office.
“Most Democrats on this committee have chosen to ignore the hearing and failed to call a single witness,” said Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo. “They are turning a blind eye to President Biden’s decline.”
Sen. Dick Durbin, the committee’s top Democrat, criticized Republicans for focusing on Biden’s mental state instead of addressing urgent national issues. “Apparently, diagnosing the former president is more important than tackling the critical challenges facing the nation,” said Durbin, who left the hearing after delivering his remarks.
The three witnesses who testified included former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, former White House official Theodore Wold, and University of Virginia law professor John Harrison. Spicer and Wold both served in the Trump administration.
A major topic of discussion was Biden’s alleged use of an autopen to sign key documents. Trump has long claimed that Biden’s White House relied on an autopen for presidential pardons, executive orders, and other critical papers, raising doubts about their authenticity.
GOP Sen. Katie Britt also questioned Spicer on how to hold the media accountable for failing to address issues in front of them. “What mechanisms should we put in place?” she asked.
The hearing is likely to be just the first in an ongoing effort by Republicans to scrutinize Biden’s presidency, even as Democrats argue the focus should shift to more pressing matters.
