Senate Republicans hold hearing on Biden's mental fitness as Democrats
boycott
[June 19, 2025]
By JOEY CAPPELLETTI
WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly six months after Joe Biden left the White
House, Senate Republicans are still scrutinizing his presidency, kicking
off the first in what's expected to be a series of congressional
hearings this year on his mental fitness in office.
Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee brought in three witnesses
Wednesday — none of whom served in Biden's administration — to
scrutinize his time in office, arguing that Biden, his staff and the
media must be held accountable. Democrats boycotted the hearing and
criticized Republicans for “arm chair diagnosing” Biden when the
committee could be looking into serious matters.
Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who co-chaired the hearing, said that they
will aim to “shine a light on exactly what went on in the White House
during Biden's presidency.”
“We simply cannot ignore what transpired because President Biden is no
longer in office,” Cornyn said.
A spokesperson for Biden declined to comment on the hearing.
It was the first in what could be several hearings about Biden in the
coming months. Over in the House, the Oversight Committee has subpoenaed
several of Biden’s former staff members, along with his White House
doctor, ordering him to testify at a June 27 hearing “as part of the
investigation into the cover-up of President Joe Biden’s cognitive
decline.”
Questions about Biden’s age and fitness erupted last summer after his
disastrous performance in a debate against Donald Trump, which
ultimately led to his withdrawal from the race.
Even after Trump won back the presidency in November, Republicans have
continued to hammer on Biden's age, citing in part new reporting about
Biden that was published this year.
Trump now alleges that Biden administration officials may have forged
the former president’s signature and taken sweeping actions without his
knowledge, though he provided no evidence of that happening. But Trump
has ordered lawyers at the White House and the Justice Department to
investigate.
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Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, questions the witnesses during a Senate
Committee on the Judiciary hearing on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, June
18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
Republicans played clips during the hearing Wednesday of Democrats
defending Biden. In the montage, the Democrats talk about how Biden
was mentally sharp when he was in office.
“Most Democrats on this committee have chosen to all but boycott the
hearing and have failed to call a single witness,” said Sen. Eric
Schmitt, R-Mo. “They have chosen to ignore this issue, like they
ignored President Biden's decline.”
Sen. Dick Durbin, the committee’s top Democrat, criticized
Republicans for holding a hearing on the last president at a time
when “numerous critical challenges facing the nation that are under
our jurisdiction.”
“Apparently arm chair diagnosing former President Biden is more
important than the issues of grave concern,” said Durbin of
Illinois.
After his opening remarks, Durbin played a video montage of his own
— but with clips of Trump speaking that he said reflected the
“cognitive ability” of the current president. Durbin left the
hearing after his opening remarks.
Three witnesses testified: 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
under Trump.
Much of the focus was on Biden's alleged use of an autopen. Trump
has repeated long-standing allegations that the Biden White House
relied on an autopen to sign presidential pardons, executive orders
and other key documents, claiming that its use cast doubt on their
validity.
GOP Sen. Katie Britt also questioned Spicer on “what mechanisms
should we put in place” to hold the media accountable “for not
actually following what is clearly in front of them.”
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