Bill Clinton accused House Oversight Chair James Comer of running a "kangaroo court" after Comer sought closed-door testimony on documents from the Jeffrey Epstein files and demanded public hearings. Hillary Clinton echoed the call, saying Republicans ignored sworn information and shifted the focus away from accountability. Bill Clinton appears in multiple Epstein records but denies wrongdoing; President Trump called the compelled testimony a "shame." Democrats say they would seek to depose Trump if they retake the House.
Bill Clinton Calls House GOP a 'Kangaroo Court,' Demands Public Hearing Over Epstein Files
Former President Bill Clinton sharply criticized House Oversight Committee Chair Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) on Friday, accusing Republicans of staging a partisan "kangaroo court" after Comer sought testimony tied to the Jeffrey Epstein files. Clinton urged that any questioning be conducted in public so the American people can see the process.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is scheduled to give a deposition on Feb. 26, with Bill Clinton scheduled for Feb. 27. Republicans have threatened contempt proceedings, saying the Clintons were slow to comply with subpoenas.
Bill Clinton on X: "I have called for the full release of the Epstein files. I have provided a sworn statement of what I know. And just this week, I’ve agreed to appear in person before the committee. But it’s still not enough for Republicans on the House Oversight Committee."
Clinton criticized the committee’s planned format: "Now, Chairman Comer says he wants cameras, but only behind closed doors. Who benefits from this arrangement? It’s not Epstein’s victims, who deserve justice. Not the public, who deserve the truth. It serves only partisan interests. This is not fact-finding, it’s pure politics." He added that he would refuse to be used "as a prop in a closed-door kangaroo court" and called for a public hearing.
Hillary Clinton on X: "For six months, we engaged Republicans on the Oversight Committee in good faith. We told them what we know, under oath. They ignored all of it. They moved the goalposts and turned accountability into an exercise in distraction. So let’s stop the games. If you want this fight, @RepJamesComer, let’s have it—in public. You love to talk about transparency. There’s nothing more transparent than a public hearing, cameras on. We will be there."
Background: Bill Clinton appears in numerous documents in the Epstein files, including photos in which alleged victims’ faces are redacted. He has acknowledged an acquaintance with Jeffrey Epstein but has denied any involvement in Epstein’s sex-trafficking crimes. President Donald Trump — who is referenced roughly 38,000 times in the files and likewise denies wrongdoing — called it a "shame" that Republicans were forcing the Clintons to testify.
Trump told reporters he felt sorry to see the Clintons compelled to testify, saying, "I think it’s a shame, to be honest. I always liked him. Her? Yeah, she’s a very capable woman."
The exchange comes amid partisan brinksmanship: some House Democrats have said they would seek to depose Trump if they regain control of the chamber. Republicans say their investigation aims to probe the breadth of Epstein-related materials and to hold accountable those connected to the case.
Why it matters: The dispute highlights tensions over transparency, congressional oversight procedures, and how sensitive testimony tied to high-profile investigations should be conducted—publicly or behind closed doors.
Source: Mediaite (original reporting compiled from public posts and committee schedules).
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