Biden’s doctor pleads the Fifth and doctor-patient privilege
Congress wanted to question Biden’s physician, but he has declined to cooperate:
Kevin O’Connor, who served as Joe Biden’s physician while the former president was in office, refused to testify in a closed-door interview as part of the House GOP probe into Biden’s mental acuity and whether his inner circle sought to conceal his limitations from the public.
O’Connor Wednesday morning asserted doctor-patient privilege and his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, according to a statement from his attorneys. He had repeatedly argued his duties as a doctor complicated his ability to testify under oath about his patient, preventing him from sharing some sensitive information.
“On the advice of his legal counsel, Dr. O’Connor refused to answer questions that invaded the well-established legal privilege that protects confidential matters between physicians and their patients,” the statement read. “His assertion of his right under the Fifth Amendment to decline to answer questions, also on the advice of his lawyers, was made necessary by the unique circumstances of this deposition.
Connor could be granted immunity from prosecution, but that would only affect his invoking of the Fifth and not the doctor-patient privilege.
When can doctor-patient confidentiality be breached? If Biden were to give his consent – which is highly unlikely – it could happen. But short of that, it’s hard to say. Most of the information on the subject (such as, for example, this) doesn’t seem to cover the special issue of a president’s health, which is a matter of grave national security. Plus, in this particular case, the doctor has already made public statements on Biden’s health in the past – false assurances – and perhaps that matters.
I really doubt that O’Connor is worried about possible criminal prosecution. He’ll get (or already has) a white shoe Democrat law firm representing him pro bono (or at a steeply discounted rate). IOW, nothing is going to happen to him because of course not.
OTOH, I think he’s more concerned about keeping his license to practice medicine.
I viewed this as political theater from the beginning. Does anyone have some ideas as to whether this is a prelim to something, or a set up?
Not sure I understand the point to all this.
Hasn’t the good doctor already proved sufficiently that he’s already compromised—i.e., that he’s a political hack and/or a liar and/or incompetent?
(I’m sure he’s a lovely guy, though…but I don’t think that’s the issue.)
Hold on! Could it be that he had to do his best to protect his country from Trump-Hitler and those MAGA-Nazi followers of his? That in order to protect his country he had no choice but to break the Hippocritic Oath he so solemnly took? That in fact by breaking the Hippocritic Oath he was in fact upholding it?
(The same could be said about all of those clowns: that to uphold the Constitution they HAD TO shred it! That to save the country (from Trump) they had to destroy it!
Constitutional experts and patriots to a person!
File under: IT’S ALL TRUMP’S FAULT, Part 1001 (nights)….
False statements already violated confidentiality.
Related:
That “…Biden’s White House doctor pleads the Fifth Amendment [and] refuses to testify…”
“…IS PRETTY MUCH AN ADMISSION THAT BIDEN’S ENTIRE PRESIDENCY WAS A CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY”
https://instapundit.com/731040/
Still, one more brick in the wall to prevent Democrats from rewriting history.
I doubt we will get justice here, but it will be harder for Dems to cover their nakedness and shame in L’Affaire Biden.
There is talk that O’Conner had an ongoing business relationship with the Biden family. Rep. Comer claims to be investigating. It’s not clear what, if anything, it amounts to.
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/07/08/biden-physician-oconnor-family-business-00166934
2 issues here which should not be conflated.
Doctor-patient confidentiality is not an issue- Dr O’connor made a full public report at then-President Biden’s request, confirming his good overall health status and fitness for office, in early 2024. HIPAA covers the release of such information, which the patient (Biden) waived. Still, further details about the evaluation remain covered by HIPAA and Dr O’connor is not permitted to discuss them absent a further waiver or court order.
The Fifth Amendment claim has nothing to do with Biden’s health or fitness for office. This protects Dr O’connor’s right to avoid self incrimination, and was invoked in response to a query from the committee about whether he had been asked to lie about the President’s condition. This specific question is not HIPAA-related, except in the sense that an affirmative answer would then imply that the previously released information about Biden’s health was not accurate. I will leave up to people better informed than me if it’s permissible for Biden to waive HIPAA protection only if the physician agrees to release inaccurate information.
Dr O’connor might also have concerns about how his dissembling will affect his medical license. He is licensed only in D.C. at present, so it’s not likely that the D.C. medical board will act too aggressively toward him, but any attempts for him to work in less lefty locales in the future may be difficult.
The same people who invoke the 5th Amendment and doctor-patient privilege are also the people who demand Catholic priests rat out their parishioners if they hear something under the seal of confession.
But, hey, noting Democrat hypocrisy is a “dog bites man” story these days.
O’Connor will never seek work in a “less lefty locale”, I am sure.
The matter of doctor-patient confidentiality at the level of our highest elected officials is a tougher. Biden waived that on an earlier occasion, but that is not a prospective waiver. Given the ever-so-frequent Biden lies, there needs to be a new standard addressing confidentiality at the high official level. The 25th Amendment is of no help, since the Prez appointed his Cabinet, so these people will have a debt and loyalty to him.
@ Cicero > “The 25th Amendment is of no help, since the Prez appointed his Cabinet, so these people will have a debt and loyalty to him.”
Their debt and loyalty is to the Democrat Party.
IIRC, some of the Cabinet picked by Trump 45 would have cheerfully kicked him out and VP Pence would have concurred.
Biden’s White House Doctor strikes me as basically a nonentity, someone who can be counted on to do whatever Biden & Co. tell him to do and say.