Rep. James Comer, the Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee, said he plans to move forward with a contempt of Congress vote against former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, escalating a dispute over their participation in a congressional investigation related to Jeffrey Epstein.
Comer’s announcement followed the breakdown of negotiations between his office and the Clintons over the terms under which Bill Clinton would testify. The committee is examining Epstein’s ties to prominent figures and the government’s handling of the case. Epstein, a wealthy financier with extensive political and social connections, died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
According to reporting by The New York Times, Comer rejected an offer for Bill Clinton to be interviewed under oath in his New York office. Comer argued that the proposed conditions were unreasonable and said he would instead pursue contempt proceedings. A contempt vote in committee would be the first step in a process that could ultimately refer the matter to the Department of Justice for possible prosecution. Under federal law, a conviction for contempt of Congress can carry penalties of up to one year in prison and fines of up to $100,000.
Negotiations between the committee and the Clintons reportedly lasted several days and focused on procedural issues, including whether there would be a formal transcript and what topics could be covered. Comer’s office said the Clintons’ offer was unacceptable because it did not guarantee an official transcript of the interview. One person familiar with the talks told The Times that the Clintons had not ruled out a transcript, though the two sides never reached agreement.
The Clintons were subpoenaed by Comer as part of the Oversight Committee’s Epstein inquiry. Both previously provided sworn written statements in response to the subpoenas, similar to other witnesses in the investigation. Comer later rejected those statements and insisted on in-person testimony, arguing that written responses were insufficient.
The Clintons have said they are being treated differently from other witnesses and have objected to what they describe as open-ended questioning. Their legal team argued that the proposed interview terms were intended to keep the questioning within the committee’s legislative scope, namely the Epstein investigation, and to avoid unrelated political inquiries. Comer rejected those limits and said the former president and former secretary of state must appear before the full committee without restrictions on questions.
The Clintons have also publicly called on the Department of Justice to release all files related to Epstein, including any that reference Bill Clinton. The DOJ has released photographs showing Clinton with Epstein or Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Bill Clinton has acknowledged taking four international trips on Epstein’s private jet in 2002 and 2003, but the Clintons have said he never visited Epstein’s private island.
If the Oversight Committee approves the contempt vote, it would then go to the full House for consideration. Approval there would send the matter to the Justice Department. The issue places House Democrats in a difficult political position, as opposing the measure could be portrayed as protecting the Clintons, while supporting it could establish a precedent for subpoenaing family members in congressional investigations.
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