
We speak with Missouri Senator Eric Schmitt about what he calls a scandal “bigger than Watergate.” He joins us to unpack the Senate’s explosive investigation into President Biden’s cognitive state and the media’s alleged role in concealing it. Get the facts first on Morning Wire. Helix: Go to https://helixsleep.com/wire to get an exclusive discount.
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John Bickley
The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing this week as part of its investigation into what was really going on behind the scenes during Joe Biden's presidency. Among the questions they're asking who was really running the country amid the president's cognitive decline? And were legacy media outlets colluding to cover it up? In this episode, we sit down with one of the Republican senators heading up the inquiry, Missouri's Eric Schmidt, to discuss why he and his colleagues believe this isn't just about holding people accountable for past actions, but ensuring more transparency in the future. I'm Daily Wire Executive editor John Bickley with Georgia Howe. It's Saturday, June 21st, and this is a weekend edition of Morning Wire.
Georgia Howe
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John Bickley
Portion of this interview aired earlier this week. Senator, thank you so much for coming on.
Eric Schmidt
Sure. It's good to be with you.
John Bickley
So you and Senator Cornyn will be holding judiciary hearings today and looking into the Biden presidency. Can you preview today's hearing?
Eric Schmidt
Yeah. I think it's important for the country to understand what was actually going on. Everybody could see the clear decline of Joe Biden. The media tried to dismiss it as cheap fakes. I mean, there was sort of one excuse after another. Democrats were saying he's sharper than he's ever been. You had, you know, the left wing media parroting those talking points too. This version of Biden intellectually, analytically, is the best Biden ever. It just is really dangerous kind of road to go down to have the one person that's elected by the entire country be mentally incompetent. It begs the question, who was running the country? And so our hearing is going to try to tease this out a little bit of who knew what, when, what should have been seen and then what should have been done about it. And it's not just looking backwards. It really is an effort to look forward. I mean, I chair the Senate, the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution. Having a functioning president is actually kind of an important thing in our constitutional order. And I, for me personally, I mean, I think this scandal's bigger than Watergate, but everybody's very eager to sweep it under the rug. And I just don't think the American people should accept that.
John Bickley
Yeah, we described it on this show as potentially the biggest presidential scandal in American history. What specific evidence do you have that President Biden was not the one making decisions during his time in office?
Eric Schmidt
Well, I think, you know, sort of they tell everybody, don't believe your lying eyes. Everyone could see it. There's whistleblowers who come forward that he would get confused and get lost in the bathroom. Then, of course, you have a very important point that we're going to touch on is the use of the auto pen. It used to be right. Kings would have fixed their seal on a document and that's how you knew it was official. In this country, we believe that the people are the sovereign. And when we vote for elected officials, their actions, like voting matter. And when a president signs a letter or issues a pardon, they're speaking on behalf of the American people. So we're going to have a few witnesses kind of talk about that at the hearing today. What does that mean? What are the consequences of that and how we should view this kind of authority moving forward with somebody who wasn't able to exercise it competently. And I think it's bolstered by a few other facts. I mean, special prosecutor Robert Herc specifically did not bring charges on the documents case because he didn't think Biden could stand trial. He wasn't competent to stand trial. I mean, that's kind of a big thing that people were again, sort of eager to brush away. And you got to remember too, the Democrats were more than willing to lie to the American people and say not just that he was competent and could remain president, but that he should get Four more years. It really wasn't until that debate, when it was on full display, that they could not deny it themselves, even though they tried to keep the truth hidden.
John Bickley
Now, we learned in the book Original Sin that there was a group of unelected advisors who were shielding Biden from the press and even his own cabinet secretaries. Likely they were making the decisions for him. That's the implications. Who do you believe was really in charge and should there actually be consequences for those involved in this?
Eric Schmidt
Well, I mean, Jill Biden obviously played a significant role, but I think this issue is particularly important for us as a constitutional republic. Right. We believe, and this is a big experiment like it's never been tried in the history of the world. I think, you know, next year when we celebrate our 250th anniversary, we'll be able to reflect unless we don't teach civics as much, quite as much as we should in schools. But, you know, from the beginning of time, effectively, there was a strong man or there was a king or a queen or God had bestowed this right on someone to rule over people, mostly because of their, you know, being the son or daughter of someone. And we decided in this country that everybody had it backwards that our rights don't come from a king or queen, they come from God. And that government's role is to protect those rights. And the government gets its ability to move forward on whatever it is to protect those rights and other things through the consent of the governed, the people. And so when you have that system set up where the people are, you know, I'm a senator from one state. There's, you know, representatives that are Rep. There's, there's eight in Missouri. They send people here to gather to make laws. But there's only one person in the Article 2 branch that sort of runs the show and speaks for the American people. It's the president of the United States. And so when you have a situation like this that was very obvious and very hidden and covered up again, not just by the people around them, but their media allies, because they were so focused on making sure President Trump never got in back into office that they were willing to go along with this lie, that's why we're having the hearing.
John Bickley
Now. You mentioned the media. Do you believe the members of the press should be compelled to testify?
Eric Schmidt
Well, I think, you know, in many ways, if you believe in the First Amendment and you sort of combat speech with more speech, the media was, was discredited before in their, in the, in the legacy media is even more Discredited. Now, in many ways, their silence or their admissions after the fact do nothing to what, you know, an investigative journalist who actually believed in the ideals that they espoused so righteously would have been asking tough questions, would have been doing real reporting. It would have exposed it. Again, this makes what Woodward and Bernstein did in Watergate seem like small potatoes, but nobody was willing to do it because so many of them suffer from Trump derangement syndrome, and they were willing to continue, not just ignore it, but pedal these lies. As you know, Mrs. Jean Pierre was there at the podium, you know, essentially going after anybody who, you know, if a Fox News reporter asked a question like that, trying to sort of discredit them. But all the while, I think they've lost all credibility on this. And so any books that are written now, in hindsight, or I guess just sort of COVID your tracks kind of thing. But. But the American people saw it. They saw the lawfare, they saw these lies, and they weighed in and they wanted a big, bold change. And that's one of the reasons, I think, they elected President Trump.
John Bickley
You said from the beginning that this is not just about looking to the past, but also looking to the future. In terms of building better transparency, what ways are the Republicans in the Senate and in the House? What are you guys doing to improve that for the American people, to build trust in the American people?
Eric Schmidt
Well, I would say there's two things happening at the same time. If you're going to fix a problem, the first step is admitting that you have a problem. And that's really part of the reason why we're holding this hearing and why you're seeing activity around this, because we have to make sure that there's a full sort of expose of what went down. Right. And why and who and when and. And what should have happened differently. I think that's a big part of it. Also, I think with what nature is healing and what President Trump is doing, the transparency, the ability or the willingness to have the press just come into the Oval Office as he's signing executive orders, asking questions, answering questions about any topic, being on Air Force One, having that kind of accessibility, that's what can restore trust. And whether you love them or you hate them or you're somewhere in the middle, that kind of accessibility and transparency is what's going to matter. But I do think the committee, as it deals with the Constitution, can more closely look at the 25th Amendment. Are there other things that we need to do? Are there cognitive tests that should be required every year sort of those kind of legislative remedies potentially that we can look at. But I think the first order of business is understanding what happened and why.
John Bickley
As you've said, the administration has approached the press very differently. Here at the Daily Wire, we've been very appreciative that we've been sort of given a room on the floor to ask questions, literally, I guess, in the press briefing room. We've seen that with a lot of new media outlets. It's very encouraging and again, encourages transparency. Senator Schmidt, thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us.
Eric Schmidt
Anytime. Take care.
John Bickley
That was Senator Eric Schmidt, and this has been a weekend edition of MORNING wire.
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Morning Wire Podcast Summary
Episode: “Bigger Scandal Than Watergate:” Inside the Senate's Biden Investigation
Release Date: June 21, 2025
Host: John Bickley
Co-Host: Georgia Howe
Presented by: The Daily Wire
In the June 21, 2025 episode of Morning Wire, hosted by John Bickley and co-hosted by Georgia Howe, the focus centers on a high-stakes investigation led by the Senate Judiciary Committee into President Joe Biden's administration. Titled “Bigger Scandal Than Watergate: Inside the Senate's Biden Investigation,” the episode delves deep into allegations concerning Biden's cognitive abilities during his presidency and claims of media complicity in obscuring the truth.
The episode kicks off with John Bickley setting the stage for a significant Senate Judiciary Committee hearing targeting the Biden administration's inner workings. The primary questions revolve around whether President Biden's cognitive decline impaired his ability to govern and if legacy media outlets were involved in a cover-up.
John Bickley [00:01]:
“...ensuring more transparency in the future. I'm Daily Wire Executive editor John Bickley with Georgia Howe.”
Senator Eric Schmidt from Missouri, a leading figure in the inquiry alongside Senator Cornyn, provides a comprehensive preview of the impending Senate hearings. He articulates the gravity of the situation by comparing the current scandal to Watergate, emphasizing its potential magnitude.
Eric Schmidt [01:58]:
“...this scandal's bigger than Watergate, but everybody's very eager to sweep it under the rug. And I just don't think the American people should accept that.”
Schmidt underscores the urgency of addressing what he perceives as President Biden’s mental incapacitation and the ensuing questions about who truly held the reins of power during his tenure.
A significant portion of Schmidt's discourse targets the media's role in masking Biden's alleged decline. He criticizes both traditional and left-wing media for propagating narratives that undermined observable signs of Biden's incompetence.
Eric Schmidt [03:24]:
“...there's special prosecutor Robert Herc specifically did not bring charges on the documents case because he didn't think Biden could stand trial. He wasn't competent to stand trial.”
Schmidt accuses the media of collusion, suggesting that their allegiance to maintaining President Trump’s political viability overshadowed objective reporting. He references the behavior of media personalities like Mrs. Jean Pierre, who he claims actively worked to discredit dissenting voices.
Eric Schmidt [06:38]:
“...nobody was willing to do it because so many of them suffer from Trump derangement syndrome, and they were willing to continue, not just ignore it, but pedal these lies.”
Looking ahead, Schmidt outlines the committee's dual approach to rectifying the current crisis and preventing future occurrences. The first step involves a thorough examination of past events to understand the depth and breadth of Biden's administration's issues.
Eric Schmidt [08:06]:
“...we have to make sure that there's a full sort of expose of what went down. Right. And why and who and when and what should have happened differently.”
Simultaneously, Schmidt advocates for increased transparency in governance. He envisions a future where presidential actions are more open and accessible to the public, citing President Trump's approach as a model.
Eric Schmidt [08:06]:
“...the transparency, the ability or the willingness to have the press just come into the Oval Office as he's signing executive orders, asking questions, answering questions about any topic... that's what's going to matter.”
Furthermore, Schmidt hints at potential legislative reforms, including reassessing the 25th Amendment and introducing mandatory cognitive assessments for sitting presidents to safeguard the nation's constitutional integrity.
The episode concludes with John Bickley highlighting the Daily Wire's role in fostering transparency and encouraging robust journalistic practices. Senator Schmidt reiterates his commitment to unveiling the truth and restoring public trust through the Senate's diligent investigation.
John Bickley [09:23]:
“...encourages transparency. Senator Schmidt, thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us.”
Eric Schmidt [09:44]:
“Anytime. Take care.”
Magnitude of the Scandal: Senator Schmidt positions the current investigation as potentially more significant than the Watergate scandal, emphasizing its implications for constitutional governance.
Allegations of Cognitive Decline: Central to the investigation is the claim that President Biden's mental capabilities were compromised, raising questions about his decision-making and leadership.
Media Complicity: The episode presents a critical view of legacy and left-wing media outlets, accusing them of suppressing the truth to protect political interests.
Future Transparency: Schmidt advocates for legislative measures to ensure greater transparency and accountability in the executive branch, including revisiting the 25th Amendment and instituting regular cognitive evaluations for the president.
Public Trust: The overarching theme is restoring and enhancing trust in governmental institutions through openness, accountability, and informed oversight.
Eric Schmidt [01:58]:
“…this scandal's bigger than Watergate, but everybody's very eager to sweep it under the rug.”
Eric Schmidt [03:24]:
“...special prosecutor Robert Herc specifically did not bring charges on the documents case because he didn't think Biden could stand trial.”
Eric Schmidt [06:38]:
“...many of them suffer from Trump derangement syndrome, and they were willing to continue, not just ignore it, but pedal these lies.”
Eric Schmidt [08:06]:
“…transparency, the ability or the willingness to have the press just come into the Oval Office as he's signing executive orders... that's what's going to matter.”
Morning Wire delivers a compelling and contentious examination of the ongoing Senate investigation into President Biden, framed as a pivotal moment for American democracy. Through incisive interviews and pointed critiques, the episode calls for a re-evaluation of media practices and governmental transparency to safeguard the nation's constitutional framework.