House Oversight Chair James Comer rejected a proposed limited deposition arrangement and advanced a committee vote to hold Bill and Hillary Clinton in contempt for failing to appear in the Jeffrey Epstein probe. Comer said the Clintons sought special treatment; the Clintons deny wrongdoing and maintain they provided information. Democrats say the push risks distracting from President Trump and urge that all Epstein files be released before pursuing high-profile witnesses.
Comer Rejects Clinton Offer; Committee Advances Contempt Vote in Epstein Probe
Comer rejects Clinton offer, teeing up contempt vote in aim to shift Epstein focus
House Oversight Chair Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) on Tuesday rejected a proposed compromise from the Clintons’ lawyers and moved the committee toward a vote to hold former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress for failing to comply with subpoenas to appear for depositions tied to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
What Comer Said
Comer said the Clintons’ attorneys proposed that Bill Clinton testify only before Comer and Ranking Member Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) in New York, with each side limited to two staff members, no other committee members present, and no official transcript produced. Comer called the arrangement unacceptable, saying it suggested the Clintons "believe their last name entitles them to special treatment." He also referenced the former president’s 1998 impeachment in criticizing his credibility: "Former President Clinton has a documented history of parsing language to evade questions, responded falsely under oath, and was impeached and suspended from the practice of law as a result."
Clintons' Response
Clinton spokesperson Angel Ureña disputed Comer’s description of the offer, saying the former president’s team "never said no to a transcript." Ureña posted on X that interviews would be "on the record and under oath" and suggested the deposition dispute was politically motivated. In public letters and sworn statements, the Clintons have said they provided information to the committee and deny any knowledge of criminal conduct by Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell. They have also argued the subpoenas lack a legitimate legislative purpose.
Political Context And Reactions
Republicans have excused several other subpoenaed officials from appearing, but because of the Clintons’ well-known ties to Epstein and Maxwell, they remain a focus for GOP scrutiny. Democrats argue the GOP emphasis on the Clintons is intended to shift attention from President Donald Trump’s connections to Epstein and from what Democrats describe as slow compliance by the Trump administration with a law requiring release of Epstein-related files.
"Look, we’ve said from day one that we’ll hear from anyone, whether they’re a Democrat or Republican," Rep. Robert Garcia said on CNN, while urging the committee to also depose people like Ghislaine Maxwell and to press the Justice Department for documents.
Other Developments
Comer said he still intends to seek a deposition from Ghislaine Maxwell; her lawyers previously indicated she would invoke her Fifth Amendment rights in any interview until a pending Supreme Court decision about her appeal is resolved. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said last week he would bring contempt measures to the House floor if approved by the committee, but a full House vote is not expected until at least the first week of February because of an upcoming recess.
The committee’s move comes amid broader disputes over release of documents related to the Epstein investigation and competing claims about whether the subpoenas serve a legitimate legislative purpose or are politically motivated.
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