The House Oversight Committee is preparing to hold former President Bill Clinton in contempt of Congress after he refused to comply with a lawful subpoena related to his past ties with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-KY) announced Tuesday that Clinton did not appear for a scheduled closed-door deposition and warned that consequences are coming.
“As a result of Bill Clinton not showing up for his lawful subpoena, which again was voted unanimously by the committee in a bipartisan manner, we will move next week… to hold former President Clinton in contempt of Congress,” Comer said.
While Comer emphasized that Clinton is not being accused of criminal wrongdoing, he said the committee simply has questions about the former president’s relationship with Epstein—a relationship that includes multiple flights aboard Epstein’s now-infamous private jet and time spent with his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.
Hillary Clinton was also subpoenaed and is expected to skip her testimony scheduled for Wednesday. The Clintons sent a defiant letter through their attorneys, claiming the subpoenas are “invalid and legally unenforceable,” and describing the committee’s efforts as a politically motivated stunt. “For us, now is that time,” the Clintons wrote, suggesting they’re ready for a legal showdown.
The committee originally scheduled the Clintons’ depositions for December, but moved them to January to accommodate a funeral. When offered the option to submit written testimony instead, Comer rejected the request and insisted both appear in person.
Though no charges have been brought against either Clinton in relation to Epstein’s criminal activities, their ties to the disgraced financier have drawn new scrutiny as the Department of Justice continues releasing Epstein-related files. Recently released photos show Bill Clinton swimming with Maxwell and relaxing in a hot tub with a woman whose face has been redacted.
Clinton’s office pushed back hard, insisting he “cut Epstein off before his crimes came to light.” A spokesperson slammed the release of decades-old images, claiming the White House was trying to deflect from its own issues. “This isn’t about Bill Clinton. Never has, never will be,” said Clinton’s chief of staff, Angel Ureña.
That’s not stopping House Republicans, who argue that the Clintons’ unwillingness to comply is part of a larger pattern of evasion and political defiance. The move to hold Clinton in contempt marks a dramatic escalation in what’s becoming a bitter constitutional clash between Congress and two of the most prominent figures in Democratic politics.
And as more documents come to light—and as the public continues to ask who knew what and when—Republicans say they’re just getting started.
