House GOP expands its investigation of Biden's health
House Republicans are expanding their investigation into President Biden's health with a new tranche of requests to interview top White House aides, including former Chief of Staff Ron Klain and senior advisor Anita Dunn.
Why it matters: House Oversight Committee chair James Comer (R-Ky.), citing Axios' reporting, noted that Klain, Dunn and the other aides whose testimony he is seeking made up the ex-president's inner circle.
Axios' Alex Thompson and CNN's Jake Tapper, in their new book "Original Sin," implicate what they dub Biden's "politburo" in a coordinated campaign to hide details of Biden's deteriorating health from public view.
Biden's spokespeople have pushed back on the claim that there was a cover-up around his health, arguing that he was mentally and physically capable of serving as president through the end of his term.
Driving the news: In addition to Klain and Dunn, Comer sent letters requesting testimony from former deputy chief of staff Bruce Reed, senior advisor Mike Donilon and counselor Steve Ricchetti.
"The Committee requests your testimony to evaluate your eye-witness account of former President Biden's decline," Comer wrote in each letter.
Comer said the aides must agree by June 11 to testify before his panel in July — or else he will subpoena them.
Zoom out: Comer sent letters last month requesting testimony from Biden's personal physician, Kevin O'Connor, as well as former White House officials Neera Tanden, Anthony Bernal, Annie Tomasini and Ashley Willians.
Many of those aides were also mentioned in "Original Sin" as being part of a select group who had up-close access to the president.
Comer said in an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity that "our staff attorneys have been communicating with their attorneys" and that he expects each of the ex-officials to testify voluntarily.
What they're saying: " These five former senior advisors were eyewitnesses to President Biden's condition and operations within the Biden White House," Comer said in a statement.
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