Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have declined to comply with a congressional subpoena issued by the House Oversight Committee demanding their testimony in the inquiry into Jeffrey Epstein. The Clintons criticized the Republican-chaired committee's efforts as lacking legal validity and asserted that the process is aimed at their imprisonment, according to a letter they publicly shared on social media on Tuesday.
Republican Representative James Comer, chair of the committee, announced plans to initiate contempt of Congress proceedings as early as next week in response to their refusal to cooperate. This move introduces a complex and politically charged phase to the investigation, a step Congress rarely enacts.
Following Bill Clinton's absence at a scheduled deposition at the House offices on Tuesday, Comer clarified in statements to reporters, "No one’s accusing the Clintons of any wrongdoing. We just have questions." He also acknowledged the longstanding personal relationship between the Clintons and Epstein, noting, "Anyone would admit they spent a lot of time together."
While Bill Clinton has never faced accusations related to Epstein's crimes, his close ties to the financier during the 1990s and early 2000s have drawn Republican scrutiny amid their efforts to obtain a thorough account of Epstein's misdeeds.
Jeffrey Epstein was detained in 2019 on federal charges of sex trafficking and conspiracy before his death by suicide in a New York jail cell while awaiting trial. Although multiple former U.S. presidents have voluntarily provided testimony before congressional committees, none have ever been compelled by subpoena to appear.
Rep. Comer also noted the committee will not seek to compel testimony from sitting President Donald Trump, a fellow Republican, acknowledging the limitations in forcing a serving president to testify in this context.