logo
Another Former Biden Associate Pleads 5th Amendment in GOP Investigation

Another Former Biden Associate Pleads 5th Amendment in GOP Investigation

Newsweek18-07-2025
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
On Friday, Annie Tomasini, a longtime Joe Biden aide and his former deputy chief of staff, became the third former Biden associate to plead the fifth amendment in front of the House Oversight Committee amid a probe pertaining to concerns over the former president's health.
On Wednesday, Anthony Bernal, who served as an aide to Jill Biden, invoked the Fifth Amendment just days after Joe Biden's former doctor, Kevin O'Connor, did the same during the hearing into the "investigation into the cover-up of President Joe Biden's mental decline and potentially unauthorized executive actions."
Republican committee chairman James Comer said in a statement: "Today, the third witness in our investigation into the cover-up of President Biden's cognitive decline and unauthorized executive actions pleaded the Fifth Amendment. There is now a pattern of key Biden confidants seeking to shield themselves from criminal liability for this potential conspiracy."
The statement continued, "It's unbelievable that Ms. Tomasini and others refuse to answer basic questions about President Biden's fitness to serve. It's apparent they would rather hide key information to protect themselves and Joe Biden than be truthful with the American people about this historic scandal. There needs to be transparency and accountability, and we will continue to pursue the truth and examine options to get the answers we need."
This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Massie warns blocking Epstein vote in the House could be political liability for GOP in midterms
Massie warns blocking Epstein vote in the House could be political liability for GOP in midterms

CNBC

timean hour ago

  • CNBC

Massie warns blocking Epstein vote in the House could be political liability for GOP in midterms

House Speaker Mike Johnson on Sunday criticized the push to force a vote in the U.S. House on releasing more federal files pertaining to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as "reckless," while the measure's co-sponsors fired back against Republican Party leadership. "House Republicans insist upon the release of all credible evidence and information related to Epstein in any way," Johnson, R-La., said on NBC News. "But we are also insisting upon the protection of innocent victims," Johnson continued. "And our concern is that the ... discharge petition is reckless in the way that it is drafted and presented, it does not adequately include those protections," he added, referring to the measure introduced by Reps. Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif. Meanwhile, Massie and Khanna took to the airwaves on Sunday to defend their bill — and criticize the Republican leadership, whom they see as standing in the way of holding a vote on the measures. Massie and Khanna both repudiated the allegations that releasing the Epstein files would hurt victims of the financier and convicted sex abuser. In an interview on NBC News, Massie said that Johnson was making a "straw man argument" when the speaker said that the bill does not include protections for victims. "Ro and I carefully crafted this legislation so that the victims' names will be redacted and that no child pornography will be released," Massie said. The lawmaker's comments underscore the ongoing divisions within the GOP over the Epstein files, which continue to fuel conspiracy theories among the party's MAGA base and infuriate some of President Donald Trump's strongest supporters. On Friday, Trump deflected questions about Epstein, a former friend. Epstein died from suicide while in jail weeks after being arrested on child sex trafficking charges in 2019. "I have nothing to do with the guy," Trump said of the man he had socialized with for years before a falling out in the mid-2000s with the convicted pedophile. The Trump administration has faced growing backlash in recent weeks after the Justice Department walked back on earlier plans to release the files related to Epstein's case. Massie also criticized Johnson on Sunday for beginning its August recess early in the U.S. House, avoiding being forced to take the vote on the motions related to the Epstein files. "The question is, why isn't Mike Johnson having this vote? Why did he send us home early?" Massie said on ABC News. He also warned of the political implications if Johnson does not hold a vote on the bill. "I'll tell you what's politically going to be a liability is, if we don't vote on this, and we go into the midterms and everybody ... they just check out because Republicans didn't keep their promise," he said. "We'll lose the majority," he continued. Massie said that he thinks pressure will build to hold a vote on it through the August recess period. Some Democrats, including Reps. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) are also backing the bill. Massie was also asked how he would react if Trump granted convicted Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell some form of clemency. "I don't think she deserves that or needs that," Massie said on ABC News, adding that "it's hard to believe that she, herself, and Epstein did these crimes by themselves," which means it's "time to find out who else was involved," by evaluating documents, bank records and others including plea bargains previously under seal. In recent days, Maxwell was granted limited immunity by the Justice Department to answer questions about the Jeffrey Epstein case. This type of immunity allowed Maxwell to answer questions from Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Trump's former personal lawyer, without fear that the information she provided could later be used against her in any future cases or proceedings. When Johnson was asked what he thought of a possible pardon for Maxwell, he reiterated that the decision is ultimately up to Trump. "Obviously that's a decision of the president," Johnson said, adding, "that's not my lane."

Trump and EU reach trade deal ahead of looming deadline
Trump and EU reach trade deal ahead of looming deadline

USA Today

time2 hours ago

  • USA Today

Trump and EU reach trade deal ahead of looming deadline

The trade deal echoes the arrangement Trump reached with Japan. President Donald Trump announced July 27 the United States had reached a trade deal with the European Union, days ahead of a self-imposed Aug. 1 deadline. Trump met with the European Commission's president, Ursula von der Leyen, during his trip to Scotland over the weekend, where the pair discussed terms and came to an agreement. The deal includes a 15% tariff on most European exports to the United States, similar to agreements struck recently between Trump and other major trading partners, including Japan. The levy is higher than the 10% rate sought by Europeans but a reduction from the 30% Trump threatened to impose earlier in July. The agreement also includes $600 billion in EU investments in the U.S., and the purchase of $750 billion worth of U.S. energy. "I think we both wanted to make a deal,' Trump said. "I think it's going to be great for both.' The 15% tariff will be applied 'across the board,' for items including cars, but steel and aluminum will remain at 50%. "We have a trade deal between the two largest economies in the world, and it's a big deal,' von der Leyen said. 'It's a huge deal. It will bring stability. It will bring predictability.' The president has repeatedly criticized the European Union, saying it was "formed to screw the United States" on trade. The U.S. trade deficit with the EU reached $235 billion in 2024, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Heading into the weekend meeting, he called the relationship between the EU and the United States "very unfair" and said he thought officials had a "50/50 chance" of striking a deal. After an agreement was announced, von der Leyen said the deal would "rebalance" relations, despite European leaders long claiming there was not an unfair trade balance. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the agreement averted a trade conflict that threatened a 27.5% tariff on cars. "This agreement has succeeded in averting a trade conflict that would have hit the export-orientated German economy hard,' Merz said. Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called it a 'positive' trade deal. Ireland's Trade Minister Simon Harris said the tariff provides certainty in trade that 'is essential for jobs, growth and investment.' "A deal provides a measure of much needed certainty for Irish, European and American businesses who together represent the most integrated trading relationship in the world,' Harris said. Trump is seeking to reorder the global economy and reduce decades-old U.S. trade deficits. He has so far reeled in agreements with Britain, Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam, although his administration has failed to deliver on a promise of "90 deals in 90 days." The EU deal echoes the deal reached with Japan. Despite the recent deals, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the administration will continue to pursue aggressive tariffs around the world, including potential duties on critical semiconductors in the near future. Contributing: USA TODAY, Reuters

Progs have abandoned progressivism, Columbia's ‘message of hope' and other commentary
Progs have abandoned progressivism, Columbia's ‘message of hope' and other commentary

New York Post

time2 hours ago

  • New York Post

Progs have abandoned progressivism, Columbia's ‘message of hope' and other commentary

Liberal: Progs Have Abandoned Progressivism 'Today's progressives aren't really progressive in the true sense of the term,' contends The Liberal Patriot's Ruy Teixeira. 'The quintessential moral commitment of midcentury progressives was to make American society truly colorblind.' Now, progs 'favor color-conscious remedies like affirmative action.' They view 'merit and objective measures of achievement . . . with suspicion.' Progressives used to be steadfast defenders of free speech,' but now, they inflate free expression 'with 'violence' and 'harm' and making people feel 'unsafe.'' And they 'prize goals like fighting climate change, procedural justice, and protecting identity groups above prosperity.' 'So can today's progressives be considered 'progressive' when they don't really support free speech, cultural pluralism and the open society? They cannot and voters, especially working class voters, are unlikely to consider them so.' Campus watch: Columbia's 'Message of Hope' 'Because Trump took a stand — and took the heat from progressives and the news media — things may finally change for the better at Columbia,' prays USA Today's Nicole Russell. 'Columbia University has agreed to pay [a] $200 million fine to the federal government to settle accusations that the school failed to protect Jewish students from antisemitism on campus.' Trump was 'standing against a culture on university campuses that promoted progressive values to the exclusion of dissenting opinions': 'Conservative students were shunned. And Jewish students were targeted because of Israel's defense of its citizens.' 'Institutions that accept taxpayer dollars must be held accountable.' 'This is a win for Trump, a scathing reprimand of higher education and a message of hope for American Jews.' Economy: Middle Class' Historic Gains 'Six months into his second term, President Donald Trump is delivering on his promise to create another middle-class economic boom,' cheers W.J. Lee at the Association of Mature American Citizens. Indeed, 'a new Treasury Department report reveals that middle-class and blue-collar workers are experiencing real-wage gains not seen in nearly 60 years': From December 2024 to May 2025, average hourly earnings for middle-class workers rose 1.7%, outpacing inflation. That 'translates to the most impressive half-year real-wage gain at the outset of a presidency' since Richard Nixon's 0.8% increase almost six decades ago. 'The only other time it came close to that? Eight years ago, during Trump's first term.' From the right: Climate Alarms Fall Flat 'The climate alarmists regularly seize on weather events they believe will help them exploit their narrative' but 'ignore contradictory information,' quips the Issues & Insights editorial board. Examples? 'The Northwest Passage is experiencing its third-highest level of sea ice extent in the last two decades,' despite Al Gore's 2009 warning that 'the Arctic polar ice cap could be gone during summer within five to seven years.' Similarly, 'efforts to attribute the deadly Texas flood . . . to human carbon dioxide emissions have been debunked,' and though 'a Tampa, Fla., meteorologist blamed 'climate change' . . . for 90-degree days having doubled in the city,' the average number of days reaching 95°F or higher in the state of Florida has not increased since 1895. Science beat: Fund University Research Locally 'Given the Trump administration's funding cuts to the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, the US must rethink how it endows innovation at American universities,' argue Thomas D. Lehrman and George Gilder at The Wall Street Journal. Publicly funded university research 'has fostered such innovations as the Global Positioning System, cancer therapies, recombinant DNA, and magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI.' That history shows that 'US technological leadership depends on creativity from our campuses.' States looking 'to lead in research and innovation should follow the school-choice playbook and establish a class of nonprofit organizations.' It falls on state leaders to support and 'accelerate the scientific research essential to competing with global rivals and inventing lifesaving technologies.' — Compiled by The Post Editorial Board

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store