In a dramatic and politically charged moment on Capitol Hill, Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee—save for one—refused to attend a hearing examining President Joe Biden’s mental acuity. Their absence prompted immediate backlash from Republicans, who accused them of stonewalling a serious inquiry into the president’s fitness to lead.
The hearing began with a pointed rebuke from the committee chair, Senator John Cornyn:
(Full transcript):
“I will note that few of my Democratic colleagues are here today. Thank you to Senator Welch from Vermont for being here, leaving us with no other option than to take the boycotting of this hearing as an admission of guilt for their role in this crisis. We must not turn away from the search for answers.”
Only Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) was present among Democrats when the gavel dropped, leaving GOP members to dominate the room and drive the message.
Livestreams from The Hill and AOL News showed rows of empty chairs where Democratic senators would normally sit, amplifying Republican messaging that Democrats are dodging accountability.
Despite being the only Democrat in attendance at the beginning, according to the Guardian, Senator Welch tried to turn it on Republicans:
“What has this Senate debated in the months that we’ve been here, other than nominations? Have we discussed the possible war with Iran? Have we had a serious discussion on the floor about the massive mounting debt?” Welch asked.“I’m going to tell you what I think is a cover-up. I think this ‘big, beautiful bill’, done by reconciliation, whereby the decision of the majority, not a single member of the minority, who represents half of the citizens of this country, can even be in the room when the terms and the policies are being debated. We are not there.”
Even as most Democrats stayed away, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), who chairs the committee, made a surprise appearance—not to defend Biden, but to pivot the conversation toward President Donald Trump. In a move that stunned the chamber, Durbin played a supercut video of Trump’s own verbal flubs and mental stumbles.
According to Mediaite, the edited video included moments such as Trump struggling with names, losing his train of thought mid-sentence, and fumbling with the papers of a recently signed trade deal. Durbin argued the double standard was glaring, stating:
“But instead of exercising this constitutional oversight duty, my Republican colleagues are holding this hearing. Apparently, armchair diagnosing former President Biden is more important than the issues of grave concern, which I have mentioned.”
Durbin later exited the hearing without taking questions, leaving Republicans to accuse him of deflection and further politicizing an already contentious issue.
Despite the theatrics, Republicans continued pressing their argument that Biden’s aides and doctors are shielding the public from the truth. Without Democrats present to challenge witnesses or introduce counter-evidence, the hearing proceeded uninterrupted, though it was clear the partisan divide over Biden’s health is only deepening.
The question now isn’t whether Biden’s mental acuity is a legitimate concern—it’s whether any Democrat in Washington is willing to address it with both candor and consistency.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY