By The Republican-led House Oversight and Government Reform Committee escalated its long-running investigation into Jeffrey Epstein on Friday, warning that it may move to hold Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress if they fail to comply with subpoenas.
The committee previously ordered Bill Clinton to appear for a closed-door deposition on January 13 and Hillary Clinton on January 14. As of Friday, neither had confirmed their participation, according to a committee spokesperson.
“They are obligated under the law to appear and we expect them to do so,” the spokesperson said. “If the Clintons do not appear for their depositions, the House Oversight Committee will initiate contempt of Congress proceedings.”
Contempt of Congress is a rarely invoked authority that can carry consequences ranging from symbolic reprimands to criminal penalties, including potential jail time if enforced, noted Politico. In recent years, courts sentenced former Trump associates Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro to prison after they refused to cooperate with a Democratic-led select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
In 2024, the GOP-controlled House voted to hold then–Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt over the Justice Department’s refusal to turn over audio from Joe Biden’s interview with special counsel Robert Hur. The Biden-era Justice Department declined to pursue prosecution, and the materials were later released under the subsequent Donald Trump administration.
The subpoenas involving the Clintons stem from the committee’s broader probe into Epstein’s crimes and the federal government’s handling of the case. That inquiry has included demands for records from the Justice Department and from Epstein’s estate, as well as the release of photographs and other materials obtained by the committee.
Bill Clinton has faced renewed scrutiny due to his documented associations with Epstein, including multiple photographs that surfaced from committee materials. A spokesperson for the former president has maintained that Clinton was unaware of Epstein’s criminal activities and had not spoken to him in over a decade as of 2019.
After certain Justice Department materials featuring Clinton in photos were released, the spokesperson called on the Trump administration to disclose all related files concerning the former president, saying, “We need no such protection.”
Democrats on the committee emphasized bipartisan interest in the investigation while pressing for broader transparency. Sara Guerrero, a Democratic spokesperson, said, “Oversight Democrats have always said that the Committee is willing to talk to any person who has information about Jeffrey Epstein.”
Guerrero added that Democrats support Clinton’s call for disclosure, saying, “We support former President Bill Clinton’s calls on President Trump to direct Attorney General Pam Bondi to immediately release the full Epstein files, including any material including the former President.”
“Compliance with subpoenas from Congress are important and critical to our investigation,” she said.
Bill Clinton has acknowledged past contact with Epstein, including four flights on Epstein’s plane in the early 2000s connected to foundation work. He has said he severed ties long before Epstein’s criminal conduct became public and later expressed regret over the association “given what came to light much after.” He has denied ever visiting Epstein’s private island.
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