A stunning display of silence unfolded on Wednesday as a key figure from the former Biden White House dodged every question put forth by House investigators. Anthony Bernal, once a senior aide to Jill Biden, has left many wondering what truths remain buried in the shadows of that administration.

According to Fox News, Bernal invoked the Fifth Amendment during a closed-door deposition with the House Oversight Committee, refusing to address allegations of a cover-up regarding former President Joe Biden's mental and physical decline. His abrupt stance came after missing a prior interview date and being compelled to appear on July 16.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., didn't mince words, stating "all options are on the table" when pressed on whether the former president himself might be called in. Alongside Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., Comer criticized Bernal's claim, echoed by his lawyer, that pleading the Fifth isn't an admission of guilt, raising eyebrows about what exactly is being shielded.

Stonewalling Sparks Serious Doubts on Accountability

Comer's follow-up remarks cut to the chase, noting that Bernal specifically took the Fifth when asked if unelected officials or family members ever executed presidential duties or if Joe Biden instructed him to mislead about his health. Such pointed silence fuels suspicions that the public was kept in the dark about who truly held the reins.

Rep. Donalds pulled no punches, arguing that if simple questions about Biden's capabilities can't be answered, it suggests the former president wasn't fully in command. He went further, questioning the legitimacy of every order, bill, and memorandum signed during that time, calling their validity into serious doubt.

Meanwhile, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, who was present at the deposition, offered a dismissive "they're still losers" when asked for comment by Fox News Digital. Her flippant remark sidesteps the gravity of what this investigation seeks to uncover, leaving one to wonder if accountability is even a shared goal across the aisle.

Pattern of Evasion Among Former Biden Staffers

Bernal isn't the first to clam up under scrutiny, as former White House physician Kevin O'Connor also pleaded the Fifth just last week in a deposition lasting under 30 minutes. Video footage released by the House Oversight Committee shows O'Connor refusing to answer anything beyond stating his name, a chilling echo of Bernal's approach.

O'Connor's legal team argued this wasn't an admission of guilt but a safeguard against violating patient-doctor confidentiality. Yet a committee aide countered that a true confidentiality concern would have allowed some questions to be answered, not a blanket refusal, casting doubt on the sincerity of that defense.

This pattern of evasion only deepens public concern, especially as Comer continues to probe whether senior aides obscured Biden's condition while executive actions may have been signed via autopen without his full awareness. Two other former staffers have already faced voluntary interviews, while another, Annie Tomasini, is subpoenaed to appear this Friday.

Protective Aide or Keeper of Secrets?

Bernal, often described as fiercely protective and dubbed the leader of the "loyalty police" by fellow staffers in a book by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, held a pivotal role as Jill Biden's chief of staff. His current LinkedIn profile still ties him to the Transition Office of Former President Joe Biden, suggesting lingering influence despite his departure from the White House.

Originally slated for a voluntary interview last month, Bernal and his legal team backed out after the Trump administration waived executive privilege for him and other former staffers. Comer noted in late June that this waiver made it "abundantly clear" Bernal never intended transparency about Biden's cognitive state or any related cover-up.

The refusal to engage, especially after such a waiver, paints a troubling picture of an inner circle more focused on protection than honesty. It raises the question of whether loyalty to a person trumped duty to the nation during critical moments of governance.

Public Trust Hangs in the Balance

As this investigation unfolds, the American people deserve clarity on whether their elected leader was fully capable or if decisions were made behind a carefully crafted curtain. Comer's insistence that "the American people are concerned" isn't just rhetoric; it's a call to restore faith in a system that appears compromised by silence.

With more depositions on the horizon and lawmakers like Donalds pushing for aggressive pursuit of answers, the pressure is mounting for truth to prevail over evasion. The notion that unelected figures or family might have stepped into presidential roles is not just unsettling; it strikes at the heart of democratic integrity.

Until voices like Bernal's break their silence, the shadow over the Biden administration's final chapters will only grow darker. House investigators must keep pressing, because trust, once broken, isn't easily rebuilt without unvarnished answers.