House GOP Subpoenas Biden Aide Over Cognitive Concerns and Autopen Use

House Republicans have issued a subpoena for Annie Tomasini, a senior aide with longstanding ties to President Biden, to testify about concerns related to the President’s mental sharpness and the use of an autopen to sign executive documents. Tomasini, who began her career as Biden’s press secretary, is set to provide her deposition this Friday after her legal team requested the official order.

This makes her the fifth member of Biden’s inner circle to appear before the committee, with three previous witnesses declining to do so voluntarily. The investigation aims to uncover details about potential efforts to hide Biden’s mental fitness and the widespread use of the autopen device to sign numerous official documents, including pardons and executive orders.

Included in the scrutiny is Biden’s physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, who last week invoked the Fifth Amendment when questioned about his knowledge of Biden’s health and whether he was advised to conceal information. The investigation also focuses on the autopen’s role in issuing last-minute pardons, including those shielding family members, which occurred shortly before Biden left office. According to reports, Biden’s team used the autopen to sign at least 25 clemency requests, granting pardons to thousands of individuals.

Biden publicly defended these actions, stating that he personally made all decisions regarding clemency and that staff replicated his signatures with the autopen to expedite the process. The documents signed in this manner included last-minute pardons approved by then-White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients.

Both Tomasini and another aide, Anthony Bernal, have refused to participate voluntarily in interviews, leaving them with the options of answering questions or invoking the Fifth Amendment. Tomasini initially agreed to a transcribed interview but withdrew her consent last week. House Oversight Chairman James Comer emphasized the importance of obtaining their testimonies to clarify allegations of efforts to obscure Biden’s cognitive condition and the autopen’s extensive use during his presidency.