The Republican-led House Oversight Committee announced Tuesday it will move to hold former President Bill Clinton in contempt of Congress after he failed to comply with a lawful subpoena tied to the panel’s investigation into the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer told reporters on Capitol Hill that the committee will proceed with a contempt markup next week, citing Clinton’s refusal to appear for a scheduled deposition. The subpoena, Comer emphasized, was approved unanimously and in a bipartisan vote by the committee.
“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 in the House Oversight Committee markup to hold former President Clinton in contempt of Congress,” Comer said.
The committee had planned to depose Clinton on Tuesday, followed by a deposition of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday. Both depositions stem from subpoenas issued last year as part of the committee’s probe into Epstein and the former president’s relationship with him.
In a letter sent to Comer, the Clintons made clear they would not appear, arguing the subpoenas are “legally invalid.” They cited legal analysis prepared by two law firms, which they said had been provided to the committee earlier this week.
The Clintons framed their refusal as a broader stand, writing that there comes a point when individuals must decide they are ready to fight for the country, regardless of consequences. They said that moment had arrived for them and signaled they expect the committee to move forward with contempt proceedings.
“We expect you will direct your committee to seek to hold us in contempt,” the Clintons wrote. “You will say it is not our decision to make. But we have made it. Now you have to make yours.”
The letter also accused the committee of threatening to grind Congress to a halt by invoking a rarely used process that could result in imprisonment. The Clintons said they believe such action would not address America’s problems and vowed to defend themselves aggressively.
Comer pushed back on suggestions of political motivation, stressing that the committee has not accused Clinton of any wrongdoing. Instead, he said lawmakers simply have questions they believe require sworn testimony. He pointed out that Democrats on the committee voted alongside Republicans to issue the subpoena.
“No one’s accused Bill Clinton of any wrongdoing. We just have questions,” Comer said, adding that bipartisan support underscored the legitimacy of the request.
The committee originally scheduled the Clintons’ depositions for last October but postponed them. Comer said he delayed the proceedings again in December after learning the Clintons needed to attend a funeral. According to Comer, Clinton attorney David Kendall declined to offer alternative dates, prompting the chairman to reschedule the depositions for mid-January.
A spokesperson for former President Clinton, Angel Ureña, criticized Comer’s handling of the matter in December, claiming the Clintons had offered the same accommodations accepted for others involved in the probe. Ureña said Comer refused those terms without explanation.
The confrontation now sets up a high-profile showdown between Congress and a former president, with the Oversight Committee signaling it is prepared to escalate its investigation into Epstein and those connected to him.
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