Listen to the article
The House of Representatives is moving closer to potentially referring former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for criminal charges after they failed to comply with congressional subpoenas related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
On Wednesday, Republicans on the House Oversight Committee advanced contempt resolutions against the Clintons following their non-appearance for scheduled depositions earlier this month. The committee voted 34-8 to advance the contempt recommendation against Bill Clinton, with two members voting present. A separate vote on Hillary Clinton passed 28-15, with one member voting present. Notably, the measures received some bipartisan support, with nine Democrats joining Republicans in the vote against Bill Clinton and three Democrats supporting the measure against Hillary Clinton.
“The committee does not take this action lightly. Subpoenas are not mere suggestions,” Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) stated during the proceedings. “They carry the force of law and require compliance. Former President Clinton and Secretary Clinton were legally required to appear for depositions before this committee. They refused.”
The contempt resolutions now move to the full House, which could consider them as early as February. Should the House vote to refer the Clintons for contempt, the Department of Justice would then decide whether to pursue prosecution. If convicted of contempt of Congress, individuals can face penalties of up to $100,000 and a year in prison.
The Clintons were originally subpoenaed to testify on October 14 and October 9, 2025, respectively. According to committee Republicans, the couple’s failure to appear has impeded congressional investigations into Jeffrey Epstein and his activities. Attorneys for the Clintons argued that the subpoenas were “invalid and legally unenforceable” and lacked connection to a legislative purpose.
Instead of complying with the subpoenas, the Clintons offered Chairman Comer the option to travel to New York for an unofficial interview without an official transcript – an offer Comer rejected as “insulting.”
“The Clintons’ latest demands make clear they believe their last name entitles them to special treatment,” Comer said in a statement. “The House Oversight Committee rejects the Clintons’ unreasonable demands and will move forward with contempt resolutions.”
Jeffrey Epstein, who died by suicide while incarcerated on sex trafficking charges in 2019, was known for his connections to powerful figures including the Clintons, Prince Andrew, Bill Gates, and now-President Donald Trump. Recent document disclosures from the Department of Justice under the Epstein Files Transparency Act have revealed new images and details about Bill Clinton’s relationship with Epstein. While these materials don’t demonstrate wrongdoing on their own, they have prompted Republicans to question what the former president may have known about Epstein’s criminal activities.
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), a committee member, defended the contempt effort as necessary for congressional oversight. “In order for Congress to do investigations, Congress has got to be able to bring people in to ask them questions and get answers so that they can do the work to fulfill our oversight function,” Jordan told Fox News Digital.
Democrats on the committee characterized the proceedings as politically motivated. Rep. Emily Randall (D-Wash.) framed the contempt recommendations as “political retribution” on behalf of President Trump. Rep. Dave Min (D-Calif.) expressed concern about potential weaponization of Congress’s investigative powers, calling the process “a political witch hunt against Trump’s critics.”
However, Min acknowledged that the Clintons should have complied with the congressional orders. “No one should be above the law, including presidents and former presidents, and congressional subpoenas are an important part of that rule of law. And I think the Clintons should be here. I think it’s very shameful that they’re not,” Min said.
The Clintons are the only two of the ten individuals subpoenaed by the Oversight Committee who currently face contempt threats for non-appearance. The full House is expected to consider the contempt resolutions sometime in February.
Fact Checker
Verify the accuracy of this article using The Disinformation Commission analysis and real-time sources.
10 Comments
This is a delicate situation that requires careful handling. I hope the House Oversight Committee can conduct a fair and impartial investigation without succumbing to political grandstanding or score-settling.
The Clintons have been the subject of intense scrutiny for decades, and this latest development is sure to add fuel to the fire. However, I hope the investigation will be conducted in a fair and impartial manner, without succumbing to the temptation of political grandstanding or score-settling.
This is a serious development. The Clintons’ failure to comply with congressional subpoenas raises troubling questions that deserve a thorough, impartial investigation. I hope the process will be fair and transparent, regardless of political affiliations.
Subpoenas are a critical tool for congressional oversight, and I’m glad to see bipartisan support for enforcing them. However, I worry that this could further polarize an already divided political landscape. I hope cooler heads will prevail.
This is a complex issue with a long and contentious history. I’m not sure what to make of it, but I hope the investigation will be thorough and impartial. At the end of the day, the truth and the rule of law should prevail.
I’m curious to see how this plays out. The Clintons have been the target of numerous investigations over the years, and I wonder if this is just the latest chapter. It will be interesting to follow the evidence and see where it leads.
While I understand the gravity of the situation, I’m concerned that this could become a partisan witch hunt. Any criminal charges should be based on clear evidence, not political motivations. I hope all sides can approach this objectively.
I’m not surprised to see this level of bipartisan support for holding the Clintons accountable. They’ve been a polarizing political force for decades, and many feel they’ve evaded consequences for their actions. However, the evidence and due process should still be the priority.
This is a high-stakes situation that could have far-reaching implications. I hope the House Oversight Committee can navigate it with the utmost care and professionalism, focusing on the evidence and the legal merits rather than partisan politics.
The Clintons have long been a lightning rod for controversy, and this latest development is sure to generate plenty of heat and noise. I’m curious to see if any substantive evidence of wrongdoing emerges, or if this is just more political theater.