A senior former Biden administration official arrived on Capitol Hill for a closed-door interview with House investigators on Thursday.
Ronald Klain served as former President Joe Biden’s chief of staff in the first half of his term, from the beginning of his term in January 2021 until early February 2023.
He did not answer shouted questions from reporters before disappearing for his voluntary transcribed interview with the House Oversight Committee.
Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., is investigating whether Biden’s top White House aides concealed signs of mental decline in the then-president, and if that meant executive actions were signed via autopen without his knowledge.
‘I think he’ll be forthcoming. I mean, he’s at the top of the organizational chart for the Biden administration,’ Comer told reporters on his way into the closed-door deposition. ‘I think everyone in America is wondering whether or not Joe Biden was mentally fit to be President of the United States, especially during the last six months of his administration.’
Reps. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., were also seen entering the room for the interview, which is expected to be staff-led.
Biden maintained he ‘made every decision’ in a recent interview with The New York Times.
Klain is the sixth ex-White House official to appear as part of Comer’s probe, and the third to appear on voluntary terms.
Former White House physician Kevin O’Connor, as well as senior advisors Annie Tomasini and Anthony Bernal, all appeared under subpoena.
Each also pleaded the Fifth Amendment to avoid answering questions.
Ex-staff secretary Neera Tanden and longtime Biden advisor Ashley Williams both appeared for voluntary transcribed interviews, like Klain.
Both of their interviews lasted over four hours, though House GOP investigators appear to have gleaned little new information.
Before serving as Biden’s chief of staff, Klain worked in the same capacity when the Delaware Democrat was vice president during the Obama administration.
He also served as a top advisor on Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign.
Most critical to investigators, perhaps, is the prominent role Klain reportedly played in preparing Biden for his disastrous June 2024 debate against now-President Donald Trump.
Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., a member of the Oversight Committee, shared some of the information he hoped would be gleaned from Klain’s sitdown.
‘Did you ever see a question of cognitive ability in the president? Were you aware that he was not making these decisions? Was he being led?’ Burlison asked.
Fox News Digital’s Deirdre Heavey contributed to this report.
