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WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� Nearly six months after Joe Biden left the White House, Senate Republicans are still scrutinizing his presidency, kicking off the first in what’s expected to be a series of congressional hearings this year on his mental fitness in office.

Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee brought in three witnesses Wednesday 鈥� none of whom served in Biden’s administration 鈥� to scrutinize his time in office, arguing that Biden, his staff and the media must be held accountable. Democrats boycotted the hearing and criticized Republicans for 鈥渁rm chair diagnosing鈥� Biden when the committee could be looking into serious matters.

Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who co-chaired the hearing, said that they will aim to 鈥渟hine a light on exactly what went on in the White House during Biden’s presidency.鈥�

鈥淲e simply cannot ignore what transpired because President Biden is no longer in office,鈥� Cornyn said.

A spokesperson for Biden declined to comment on the hearing.

It was the first in what could be several hearings about Biden in the coming months. Over in the House, the Oversight Committee has subpoenaed several of Biden鈥檚 former staff members, along with his White House doctor, ordering him to testify at a June 27 hearing 鈥渁s part of the investigation into the cover-up of President Joe Biden鈥檚 cognitive decline.鈥�

Questions about Biden鈥檚 age and fitness erupted last summer after his disastrous performance in a debate against Donald Trump, which ultimately led to his withdrawal from the race.

Even after Trump won back the presidency in November, Republicans have continued to hammer on Biden’s age, citing in part new reporting about Biden that was published this year.

Trump now alleges that Biden administration officials may have forged the former president鈥檚 signature and taken sweeping actions without his knowledge, though he provided no evidence of that happening. But Trump has ordered lawyers at the White House and the Justice Department to investigate.

Republicans played clips during the hearing Wednesday of Democrats defending Biden. In the montage, the Democrats talk about how Biden was mentally sharp when he was in office.

鈥淢ost Democrats on this committee have chosen to all but boycott the hearing and have failed to call a single witness,鈥� said Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo. 鈥淭hey have chosen to ignore this issue, like they ignored President Biden’s decline.鈥�

Sen. Dick Durbin, the committee鈥檚 top Democrat, criticized Republicans for holding a hearing on the last president at a time when 鈥渘umerous critical challenges facing the nation that are under our jurisdiction.鈥�

鈥淎pparently arm chair diagnosing former President Biden is more important than the issues of grave concern,鈥� said Durbin of Illinois.

After his opening remarks, Durbin played a video montage of his own 鈥� but with clips of Trump speaking that he said reflected the 鈥渃ognitive ability鈥� of the current president. Durbin left the hearing after his opening remarks.

Three witnesses testified: former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, former White House official Theodore Wold and University of Virginia law professor John Harrison. Spicer and Wold both served under Trump.

Much of the focus was on Biden’s alleged use of an autopen. Trump has repeated long-standing allegations that the Biden White House relied on an autopen to sign presidential pardons, executive orders and other key documents, claiming that its use cast doubt on their validity.

GOP Sen. Katie Britt also questioned Spicer on 鈥渨hat mechanisms should we put in place鈥� to hold the media accountable 鈥渇or not actually following what is clearly in front of them.鈥�

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