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Anthony Bernal, a longtime aide to former First Lady Jill Biden and senior White House advisor, is at the center of a deepening political controversy.

 On July 16, Bernal appeared for a closed-door deposition before the House Oversight Committee, but invoked the Fifth Amendment, refusing to answer any of the committee’s questions.

The deposition is part of a broader Republican-led investigation into whether President Joe Biden’s top aides covered up signs of his alleged cognitive decline while he was in office.

“Now that the White House has waived executive privilege, it’s abundantly clear that Anthony Bernal — Jill Biden’s so-called ‘work husband’ — never intended to be transparent about Joe Biden’s cognitive decline and the ensuing cover-up,” said House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-KY).

GOP Probe Targets White House Inner Circle

The Oversight Committee is investigating claims that executive decisions may have been made using autopen, with the president’s alleged diminished mental state preventing him from fully reviewing or approving the actions himself. President Biden, however, pushed back in a recent New York Times interview, insisting that he “made every decision” during his presidency on his own.

Bernal’s appearance followed subpoenas issued after he and his legal team backed out of a previously agreed-upon voluntary interview, citing legal protections. His decision to plead the Fifth puts him in the same category as Dr. Kevin O’Connor, Biden’s former White House physician, who also refused to answer committee questions last week, even those unrelated to doctor-patient confidentiality.

A committee aide responded sharply to O'Connor’s silence:

“Doctor-patient objection would have meant he would have stayed and answered questions that didn’t implicate such privilege. Instead, he took the Fifth to all and any potential questions.”

Anthony Bernal Dubbed 'Loyalty Police' 

According to Original Sin, by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, Bernal was known in the White House as the head of the “loyalty police.”

The book details his fierce protection of Jill Biden and his disdain for other staffers. This reputation only intensifies Republican suspicion that Bernal may have been part of efforts to conceal the president's health issues.

Bernal currently serves as Chief of Staff to Jill Biden in the Transition Office of Former President Joe Biden, as noted on his LinkedIn page. His deep ties to the Bidens and refusal to cooperate with investigators have added fuel to an already politically charged investigation.

What's Next for the Investigation?

The Oversight Committee has already spoken with two other former White House aides and has subpoenaed Annie Tomasini, former Deputy Chief of Staff, to appear for questioning next.

Meanwhile, questions continue to swirl about the use of autopen, particularly regarding pardons and commutations issued near the end of Biden’s presidency.

President Biden has publicly denied those allegations:

“I orally granted every single one of them,” he said, dismissing the GOP narrative as politically motivated and false.

Relevant Links:

Fox News: White House investigating Biden use of autopen

Fox News: Bernal loyalty, staff tensions revealed in new book