Former first lady Jill Biden has been left exposed by her loyal White House "work husband" after he tried to avoid giving testimony to Congress.
Anthony Bernal was Jill's closest ally in the Biden administration, making him a key witness in the probe of her actual husband's cognitive decline.
Now no longer in power, Bernal is helping the family obstruct a congressional inquiry into Joe Biden's health, but Bernal's efforts have already backfired.
After he refused to sit for an interview, Republicans responded to Bernal's insolence with a subpoena requiring him to testify on July 16.
Bernal had been scheduled to talk on Thursday, but backed out after President Trump waived executive privilege, leaving the Biden confidant exposed to potentially sharing confidential secrets.
"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 Committee chairman James Comer (R-KY)
Bernal enjoyed intimate access to the Biden family and stayed loyal during the chaotic weeks that led to Joe Biden suspending his re-election campaign last summer.
His role in the Biden administration has come into focus after a sudden awakening of journalists regarding Biden's cognitive decline, an issue that the liberal media ignored for most of his presidency.
Republicans have already heard from former White House official Neera Tanden, who voluntarily testified about her role in using an autopen to sign orders on Biden's behalf. She notably said that she had limited contact with Biden himself.
It is now widely believed that Biden was not fully in charge during his four years in power.
While Democrats have dismissed the congressional probe, Republicans have said that a complete understanding of what transpired serves the public interest, given the troubling likelihood that Americans lived under a shadow presidency that they did not elect.
"Given your close connection with both former President Biden and former First Lady Jill Biden, the Committee sought to understand if you contributed to an effort to hide former President Biden’s fitness to serve from the American people," Comer wrote to Bernal. "You have refused the Committee’s request. However, to advance the Committee’s oversight and legislative responsibilities and interests, your testimony is critical."
Bernal is not the only member of Biden's circle who has tried to avoid appearing before Congress.
Kevin O'Connor, Biden's longtime physician, was subpoenaed after he tried to weasel out of an interview, citing, in part, patient confidentiality.
