By A simmering standoff between former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and House Oversight Committee Chairman James R. Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, is edging toward open confrontation, with the committee warning that contempt proceedings could follow if the Clintons refuse to appear in person in its investigation of the federal handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case.
The subpoenas, issued in August alongside demands directed at several former senior law enforcement officials, are part of the committee’s review of how Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell were investigated and prosecuted. Most of those officials have already avoided live testimony. Five former attorneys general were excused after submitting written statements asserting no relevant knowledge, while former FBI directors James B. Comey and Robert S. Mueller III were permitted to bypass in-person depositions.
Only former Attorney General William P. Barr, who led the Justice Department at the time of Epstein’s 2019 death in federal custody, has testified in person.
The Clintons, represented by longtime attorney David Kendall, have sought similar treatment, writes The New York Times. They have offered to submit sworn written statements and say they have spent months in correspondence and meetings with committee staff attempting to resolve the matter without appearances on Capitol Hill.
Comer, however, has refused to relent. In a recent statement, he accused the former president and former secretary of state of stonewalling, saying: “The former president and former secretary of state have delayed, obstructed and largely ignored the committee staff’s efforts to schedule their testimony.” He set deposition dates of December 17 and 18 and warned that contempt proceedings could follow if those deadlines are missed or if no early January dates are agreed to.
Kendall has pushed back sharply, arguing that singling out the Clintons for live testimony—despite their lack of direct involvement in federal investigations—betrays political intent. In letters to the committee, he wrote that “President Trump has consistently sought to divert attention from his own relationship with Mr. Epstein and unfortunately the committee appears to be complicit,” and said the demand appears designed “to catalyze a public spectacle for partisan purposes.”
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.
Hillary Clinton’s connections are even more remote. According to aides, she never flew on Epstein’s aircraft, never visited his properties, and had only limited social contact through shared acquaintances.
[Several Democrats Were Discussed In Epstein Documents]
Spokespeople for both Clintons say their clients are willing to cooperate—just not on unequal terms. “For months, we’ve been offering the same exact thing he accepted from the rest, but he refuses and won’t explain why,” said Angel Urena, a spokesman for Bill Clinton. “Make of that what you will.”
Nick Merrill, speaking for Hillary Clinton, was more blunt when speaking to The Times: “since this started, we’ve been asking what the hell Hillary Clinton has to do with this, and he hasn’t been able to come up with an answer.”
A contempt of Congress citation can carry penalties ranging from fines to jail time, though enforcement is uneven and often shaped as much by politics as by law. Historically, compelling former presidents to testify in person has been rare.
The dispute unfolds amid broader tensions surrounding the committee’s Epstein-related work, which has included document demands and the release of photographs showing Epstein alongside prominent figures from both parties.
In his latest correspondence, Kendall urged the committee to apply a consistent standard. “We urge you to acknowledge that we are asking for nothing more than the same basic fairness offered to the attorneys general who ran the DOJ while the Epstein investigations were being conducted,” he wrote. “We remain ready, as we have been for months, to provide sworn statements to satisfy the committee’s oversight efforts.”
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