Ex-Biden Aide Bates Criticizes GOP Oversight Probe, Denies Biden White House Control

Andrew Bates, former senior deputy press secretary for President Biden, testified before the House Oversight Committee investigating President Biden's mental acuity and use of an autopen. Bates refused to answer whether Biden actually ran the White House and criticized the committee for wasting taxpayer money on the investigation while ignoring alleged corruption under President Trump. In his opening statement, Bates accused President Trump of profiting from illegal tariffs, selling special cryptocurrency access, attempting to take over the Federal Reserve, and other controversies including pardoning January 6 rioters and accepting a luxury jet from Qatar. Bates affirmed that President Biden was in charge during his tenure and criticized Republicans for adding trillions to the national debt while focusing on Biden's investigation. The GOP committee responded by calling Bates delusional and accused him of participating in a cover-up of Biden's cognitive decline, highlighting recent revelations about thousands of pardons potentially made without Biden's approval. The confrontation underscores deep partisan divisions over accountability and leadership scrutiny within the current administration and Congress.