Overview
- Both Bill and Hillary Clinton skipped closed-door depositions scheduled for Jan. 13 and 14 after being subpoenaed, declaring in letters that the demands were legally invalid and politically driven.
- Chairman James Comer said the panel will pursue contempt proceedings, first announcing action against Bill Clinton and then vowing a vote to hold both Clintons in criminal contempt after Hillary Clinton also declined to appear.
- If approved by the committee and the full House, any contempt referral would go to the Justice Department, which would decide whether to prosecute, a step that is uncommon in such disputes.
- Comer said the committee is not alleging wrongdoing by the Clintons but wants answers about Bill Clinton’s past interactions with Jeffrey Epstein, noting that several other subpoenaed officials were allowed to submit written statements.
- The standoff follows partial DOJ releases of Epstein-related files mandated by a new transparency law, including photos of Bill Clinton, with millions of pages still under review and no evidence in the releases establishing criminal conduct by the Clintons.