Once again, in the bewildering world of contemporary politics, questions about President Joe Biden’s mental fitness are being conveniently met with silence—thanks to former staffers who seemingly have lost their tongues. Amy Tomasini, a former aide to President Biden, has decided to plead the Fifth Amendment rather than answering questions about the President’s mental acuity during a closed-door interview. Astonishingly, Tomasini is not the first to opt for this evasive tactic. Two other aides have preceded her in sidestepping direct queries from the GOP-led House Oversight Committee’s probe. It’s almost as if there’s a memo circulating among Biden allies titled “How to Dodge Accountability 101.”
With Biden’s former Chief of Staff Ron Klain and Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre expected to face the committee in the coming months, one can hardly expect a revelatory shift in approach. The precedent set by Tomasini and her peers hints at a playbook designed to keep the White House’s inner workings as opaque as possible. After all, if the core team won’t shed light on who’s calling the shots in the Oval Office, should the nation be concerned that it’s not the man whose name is on the ballots?
The shadow of doubt hangs over an administration where clarity should reign supreme. America’s citizens deserve to know who’s really steering the ship of state, particularly when the captain’s cognitive abilities have been publicly questioned. Nevertheless, the aides’ reluctance to testify may point less to the protection of their former boss and more towards safeguarding their own legacies—a self-serving move cloaked in the guise of loyalty.
Amidst this circus of non-cooperation, one might question if even the Democratic Party is interested in getting to the bottom of this mess. Could it be that the political machinery fears what might be uncovered in a true investigation? It’s more likely they’d prefer to sweep any irregularities under the rug than demand honest discourse from their former operatives. Accountability seems to be the rarest commodity in a political landscape bloated with decorum yet starved of genuine leadership.
Americans who seek authentic engagement from elected officials and their aides deserve better than strategic silence and the relentless game of dodgeball currently on display. Maybe, just maybe, if Democrats were to apply some pressure within their own ranks—or, heaven forbid, embrace transparency—they could even begin to regain the trust that has so markedly dwindled. Until then, onlookers are left to wonder if “pleading the Fifth” is the new mantra for a party navigating the murky waters of governance when inconvenient questions are raised.
