Clintons Refuse To Testify In House Epstein Probe, Call Investigation 'Partisan'

Jan 13 (Reuters) — Bill and Hillary Clinton on Tuesday declined to appear before a Republican-led House inquiry into the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, calling the investigation a partisan exercise and saying they had already provided the "little information" they possessed.

Clintons Say Probe Is Politically Motivated

In a letter to Representative James Comer, chair of the House Oversight Committee, the couple wrote that they had reached a point where they must act to defend the country's principles. "Every person has to decide when they have seen or had enough and are ready to fight for this country, its principles and its people, no matter the consequences," the Clintons wrote. "For us, now is that time."

"We've done so because Mr. Epstein's crimes were horrific. If the Government didn't do all it could to investigate and prosecute these crimes, for whatever reason, that should be the focus of your work ... There is no evidence that you are doing so."

Comer has warned he may hold the Clintons in contempt if they fail to appear, a move that could lead to criminal charges. The couple said they expect Comer to pursue contempt proceedings and reiterated their position that the committee's attention should remain on whether investigators and prosecutors fulfilled their duties in Epstein-related cases.

Broader Context

The announcement comes as the Trump administration, under pressure from the former president's political supporters, directed the U.S. Department of Justice to release files tied to criminal probes of Epstein in compliance with a congressional transparency law. Epstein, who died in 2019, was a convicted sex offender and had past social ties to several prominent figures.

Reporting by Bhargav Acharya in Toronto; Editing by Rod Nickel