Democrats admit guilt in Biden health cover-up by boycotting Senate hearing on “constitutional scandal,” as Republicans demand answers about the former president’s mental fitness and unauthorized use of autopens for official documents.
Key Takeaways
- Senate Republicans held a hearing titled “Unfit to Serve” to investigate an alleged cover-up of Biden’s cognitive decline, with most Democrats boycotting the proceedings.
- GOP senators, including John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, interpreted Democrats’ absence as an “admission of guilt” regarding their role in hiding Biden’s mental incapacity.
- Republicans raised serious concerns about Biden’s use of autopens for signing official documents, calling it an “autopen presidency” that undermined constitutional governance.
- The hearing featured testimony from legal experts who characterized the situation as a “constitutional crisis” that endangered America’s national security and democratic institutions.
- President Trump has ordered an investigation into whether individuals deliberately misled the public about Biden’s mental state during his presidency.
Democrats Boycott Hearing on Biden’s Mental Fitness
The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on former President Biden’s mental fitness revealed deep partisan divisions as most Democrats refused to attend what Republicans called a crucial examination of constitutional governance. The hearing, titled “Unfit to Serve: How the Biden Cover-up Endangered America and Undermined the Constitution,” proceeded with only two Democrats initially present – Vermont Senator Peter Welch and Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, with the latter departing early after dismissing the proceedings as a political distraction. Republicans viewed this boycott as telling evidence of Democrats’ unwillingness to address their complicity in concealing Biden’s cognitive decline.
Texas Senator John Cornyn did not mince words about the Democratic absence, stating: “I will note that few of my Democratic colleagues are here today, Thank you to Sen. Welch from Vermont for being here, leaving us with no other option than to take the boycott of this hearing as an admission of guilt for their role in this crisis.” Republicans argued that Democrats’ refusal to participate underscored their inability to defend what they characterized as a years-long deception of the American public about Biden’s mental capacity.
Republicans Allege Widespread Conspiracy to Hide Biden’s Condition
Throughout the hearing, Republican senators outlined what they described as a coordinated effort among Biden’s family, staff, media allies, and Democratic officials to conceal the president’s deteriorating mental state. Senator Cornyn articulated this concern explicitly, saying: “There was a conspiracy to hide the president’s true condition by his family, by his staff, by the media and many elected officials. With a compromised president, our government’s very legitimacy and capacity to function was undermined. The American people paid a price from President Biden’s handling of the border crisis to the disastrous events we saw unfold in Afghanistan.”
“Not a single Democrat is here today because not a single one of them gives a d— about the fact that they lied to the American people for four years,” said Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
“They knew. Every one of them knew that Joe Biden was mentally not competent to do the job. The White House press secretary, she knew, when she stood in front of the American people and lied over and over and over again. And they’re not here because they can’t defend themselves. It wasn’t a surprise, for four years, the White House hid President Biden from Republican senators. Would not let him meet with us,” said Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
The “Autopen Presidency” and Constitutional Concerns
A significant focus of the hearing centered on allegations that Biden’s staff routinely used an autopen to sign official documents without the president’s knowledge or meaningful participation. Missouri Senator Eric Schmitt characterized this practice as emblematic of a dysfunctional executive branch, stating: “Under President Biden, the autopen became a troubling symbol, a symbol of an absentee president in an executive branch directed by nameless, faceless aides that no one outside of Washington, D.C. had ever heard of and no one ever voted for. It was the autopen presidency, a government run by committee rather than a leader chosen by the American people.”
The hearing included testimony from former Trump administration officials and legal experts who expressed serious concerns about the constitutional implications of Biden’s alleged incapacity. Theodore Wold, a former special assistant to President Trump, described the situation as a “constitutional crisis” and emphasized the importance of the 25th Amendment in addressing presidential incapacity. The Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project has been investigating the use of autopens during Biden’s presidency, suggesting a deliberate attempt to conceal his inability to perform presidential duties.
Democrats Defend Biden, Call Hearing a Distraction
The few Democrats who did appear at the hearing offered a sharply different perspective. Senator Dick Durbin criticized the proceedings before leaving early, asserting: “The Republican majority on this committee has not held a single oversight hearing despite numerous critical challenges facing the nation that are under our jurisdiction. Instead of exercising this constitutional oversight duty, my Republican colleagues are holding this hearing. Apparently, armchair diagnosing former President Biden is more important than the issues of grave concern.”
Reports indicated that before walking out, Democrats showed a video highlighting what they claimed were instances of cognitive decline in President Trump, attempting to flip the narrative. This tactic further inflamed tensions in the hearing room as Republicans viewed it as deflection from legitimate constitutional concerns about Biden’s fitness for office during his presidency. Some Democrats have characterized the ongoing investigations into Biden as politically motivated attempts to create doubt and division among the public.
The Path Forward Under President Trump
As the hearing concluded, Republicans emphasized that President Trump has already directed investigations into whether officials deliberately misled the American public about Biden’s mental state. The investigation will examine multiple aspects of the alleged cover-up, including the use of autopens for official documents, the handling of Biden’s health information, and why his late-stage prostate cancer wasn’t detected earlier. Multiple congressional committees are now involved in the investigation, with the House Oversight Committee taking a leading role.
Former Biden White House staff members have agreed to be interviewed regarding the use of the autopen, while some Republicans are considering legislation to regulate such devices in the future to prevent similar situations. The hearing represented just the beginning of what promises to be a comprehensive examination of how the Biden administration functioned and whether constitutional safeguards were deliberately circumvented to maintain the appearance of presidential capacity when it may have been absent.
