At a Glance
- House Oversight Committee approved contempt of Congress charges against Bill and Hillary Clinton
- Republicans demand testimony in Jeffrey Epstein investigation
- Contempt could lead to criminal prosecution and prison time
- Why it matters: First time Congress may use its most severe punishment against a former president
House Republicans have launched an unprecedented contempt of Congress action against former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, escalating their demand for testimony in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
The Republican-controlled House Oversight Committee approved the contempt charges Wednesday, setting up a potential full House vote that could mark the first time Congress has used its most severe punishment against a former president.
Contempt Charges Advance
Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., the committee chairman, opened the hearing by accusing the Clintons of responding with “defiance” rather than cooperation.
“Subpoenas are not mere suggestions, they carry the force of law and require compliance,” Comer stated.
The contempt proceedings could lead to criminal prosecution by the Department of Justice. If successful, the charges carry the possibility of substantial fines and even incarceration.
The Clintons have refused to comply with committee subpoenas for months, arguing they are invalid because they don’t serve any legislative purpose. They maintain they had no knowledge of Epstein’s criminal activities.
Negotiations Continue Behind Closed Doors
Despite the public clash, signs of a potential compromise emerged as the Clintons appeared to seek an alternative to testifying. Longtime Clinton lawyer David Kendall has been negotiating with the committee.
According to the committee’s account, Kendall even raised the possibility of having the Clintons testify on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
The Clintons released a letter last week criticizing Comer’s timing, noting the Justice Department is running a month behind a congressionally mandated deadline to release complete Epstein case files.
“We have tried to give you the little information we have. We’ve done so because Mr. Epstein’s crimes were horrific,” the Clintons wrote to Comer.
Comer rejected an offer Tuesday from Clinton’s lawyer to have Comer and top Democrat Rep. Robert Garcia of California interview Bill Clinton in New York with staff present.
Political Divisions Deepen
Democrats on the committee have largely focused on advancing the Epstein investigation rather than mounting a full defense of the Clintons, who led their party for decades.
“No president or former president is above the law,” Garcia said at the hearing.
Democrats spent the session criticizing Comer for focusing on the Clintons while the Justice Department remains behind schedule on releasing Epstein files. They noted that Comer has allowed several former attorneys general to provide written statements about their limited knowledge of the case.
“It’s interesting that it’s this subpoena only that Republicans and the chairman have been obsessed about putting all their energy behind,” Garcia said.
The Epstein Connection
Epstein, a wealthy financier, donated to Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign and Hillary Clinton’s joint fundraising committee ahead of her 2000 Senate campaign in New York.
Congress is investigating how Epstein was able to sexually abuse dozens of teenage girls for years. He killed himself in 2019 in a New York jail cell while awaiting trial.
Recent releases of case files have revealed connections between Epstein and numerous high-profile men, including both Bill Clinton and President Donald Trump, though neither has been accused of wrongdoing.
Historical Context
Contempt of Congress proceedings are rare, typically reserved for high-profile investigations. The most famous examples include the 1940s investigation into alleged Communist sympathizers in Hollywood and the impeachment proceedings against President Richard Nixon.
Recent contempt cases include Trump’s advisers Peter Navarro and Steve Bannon, who were convicted for defying subpoenas from the House panel investigating the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot. Both spent months in prison.
No former president has ever been successfully forced to appear before Congress, though some have volunteered to do so.
The January 6 committee also subpoenaed Trump, but his lawyers resisted, citing legal precedent protecting ex-presidents from congressional orders. The committee ultimately withdrew its subpoena.
What’s Next
The contempt resolution now heads to the full House, where passage requires a majority vote – something Republicans have increasingly struggled to achieve.
Comer has indicated he will accept nothing less than a transcribed deposition of Bill Clinton.
“You have to have a transcript in an investigation,” Comer said. “So no transcript, no deal.”
The committee plans to interview Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime confidant currently serving a prison sentence for sex trafficking, next month. Attorney General Pam Bondi is scheduled to appear before the House Judiciary Committee in February.
The Justice Department and Epstein estate face a bipartisan committee subpoena ordering the release of files related to Epstein. The pressure for transparency intensified after Bondi stumbled on her promise to release unredacted Epstein files to the public, scrambling traditional ideological lines and uniting Republicans and Democrats in demanding further investigation.
