James Carville warned that Republican attempts to pin the Jeffrey Epstein files on Bill and Hillary Clinton risk backfiring, calling Rep. James Comer "one of the lowest IQ people" in government while praising Bill Clinton's preparedness. The Clintons agreed to depositions after initial resistance, with Hillary and Bill scheduled for Feb. 26 and Feb. 27. Carville and others say heightened scrutiny could politically harm Republicans and create opportunities for Democrats to pursue investigations of Trump later.
James Carville Slams 'Lowest IQ' MAGA Rep, Says Clinton Depositions Will Backfire on GOP
Rob Latour/Variety/Penske Media via Getty Images
Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville sharply criticized Republican theatrics around the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files, warning that efforts to make the documents a political weapon against Bill and Hillary Clinton are likely to backfire.
The GOP-controlled House Oversight Committee, led by Rep. James Comer, issued subpoenas to the former president and first lady. After initially resisting, the Clintons agreed this week to be deposed as Republicans moved toward holding them in criminal contempt of Congress.
James Carville said Bill and Hillary Clinton will be “well-prepped” to face Republicans in testimony. / Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Carville, 81, told Politico he expects Bill Clinton to be "well-prepped" for testimony and said the matchup favors the former president.
"You’ve got one of the lowest IQ people to ever serve in the United States government matched against maybe the highest IQ person ever served in the United States government," Carville said. He added a vivid analogy: "This whole thing reminds me of what you see a lot here down in the South—dogs chasing cars. You caught the car. Good. What are you gonna do with it? It was fun chasing the car. The car stopped. Eat the hubcap."
Carville also noted that Hillary Clinton, now 78, previously endured an 11-hour hearing in 2015 over the Benghazi attack, suggesting Republicans may underestimate how damaging extended public attention could be for their own standing.
By taking the unprecedented step of forcing a former president to testify before Congress, Comer has also opened the door for Democrats to target Trump and his family down the line. / Kevin Dietsch / Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
What’s Next
The Clintons are scheduled for full-day depositions: Hillary on Feb. 26 and Bill on Feb. 27. Republicans say the proceedings will be transcribed and recorded depositions behind closed doors; the Clintons have pushed for an open hearing. The Daily Beast reports it has contacted Comer's office for comment.
By subpoenaing a former president, Comer has also — intentionally or not — exposed a potential political vulnerability: Democrats could point to this precedent if they later seek to pursue investigations into President Trump and his family, The New York Times notes.
Bill Clinton maintained a relationship with Epstein for years and has featured prominently in the trove of images and documents released by the Department of Justice. / Department of Justice
Background On The Files
Bill Clinton appears repeatedly in images and documents released by the Department of Justice related to Jeffrey Epstein. President Trump is named more than 1,000 times in the same trove; Trump has publicly urged the DOJ to investigate Clinton’s relationship with Epstein. Both Clinton and Trump have denied wrongdoing, and Bill Clinton has called the GOP effort a politically motivated smear.
Bottom line: Carville predicts the GOP effort to make the Epstein files a referendum on the Clintons will be more damaging to Republicans than to their targets, particularly if the depositions draw extended public attention.
Help us improve.
