Part 3/11:
Mick Mulaney, a former White House chief of staff, weighed in, emphasizing that the question about lying had little to do with the doctor’s confidentiality privilege. The fact that the doctor took the Fifth on those points suggests he believed the testimony could implicate him criminally, possibly due to being asked to provide false information to Congress.
Further complicating the matter is the legal principle that if a person has received a presidential pardon, they cannot invoke the Fifth Amendment against self-incrimination. The implication is that if President Biden or others involved had issued pardons to this doctor or related individuals, it could compel testimony or lead to legal conflicts if they refused.