Republicans and Dems advance contempt resolutions after Clintons fail to appear for Epstein probe depositions
Jon Stewart says Bill, Hillary Clinton should ‘absolutely’ comply with congressional subpoena in Epstein investigation
Comedian Jon Stewart said Bill and Hillary Clinton should “absolutely” comply with congressional subpoenas related to the Jeffrey Epstein case, but also urged the DOJ to comply in releasing the remaining documents.
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The House Oversight Committee voted to refer former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for chamber-wide votes on criminal contempt of Congress charges with the help of multiple Democrats, including two members of the far-left Squad, for defying subpoenas related to the panel’s Jeffrey Epstein probe.
Lawmakers voted to advance a pair of contempt resolutions against the Clintons on Wednesday after they did not appear for scheduled depositions earlier this month.
The committee voted 34-9 to advance one contempt recommendation against Bill Clinton, with two members voting present, and another on Hillary Clinton in a 28-15 vote, with one member voting present. Nine Democrats voted with Republicans to advance contempt recommendations against Bill Clinton and three Democrats joined Republicans in the vote against Hillary Clinton.
The Democrats who voted to advance Bill Clinton’s resolution were: Reps. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., Summer Lee, D-Pa., Stephen Lynch, D-Mass. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., Emily Randall, D-Wash., Lateefah Simon, D-Calif., Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich.
Former President Bill Clinton, left, pictured alongside his wife and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, right. (Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Images)
The Democrats who voted to advance Hillary Clinton’s resolution were Stansbury and “Squad” members Lee and Tlaib.
“The committee does not take this action lightly. Subpoenas are not mere suggestions,” Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., said of the Clintons’ no-show. “[Subpoenas] carry the force of law and require compliance. Former President Clinton and Secretary Clinton were legally required to appear for depositions before this committee.”
HILLARY CLINTON EXPECTED TO DEFY EPSTEIN PROBE SUBPOENA, RISKING CRIMINAL CHARGES
“They refused,” he added.
If the House votes to refer the Clintons for contempt, it would be up to the Department of Justice (DOJ) whether to prosecute. A contempt-of-Congress conviction can carry up to a $100,000 fine and a year behind bars.
Republicans on the committee contend that by not appearing before lawmakers, the Clintons impeded congressional investigations into Epstein and his activities. Bill and Hillary Clinton originally received subpoenas to appear before lawmakers on Oct. 14 and Oct. 9, 2025, respectively, to answer questions on Epstein’s dealings, but even after working with the committee to reschedule, they did not appear for questioning.
COMER RIPS ‘PAID DISRUPTOR’ AS BRIEFING ON CLINTON CONTEMPT PUSH DEVOLVES INTO CHAOS
An attorney for the Clintons wrote to the committee, calling the subpoenas “invalid and legally unenforceable” and claiming they lacked a connection to a legislative purpose.
Instead, the Clintons offered Comer the opportunity to travel to New York to conduct an interview by himself without an official transcript.
Comer rejected the offer, calling it “insulting.”
“The Clintons’ latest demands make clear they believe their last name entitles them to special treatment,” Comer said in a statement. “The House Oversight Committee rejects the Clintons’ unreasonable demands and will move forward with contempt resolutions.”
Epstein, a former financier, killed himself while incarcerated on charges of sex trafficking minors in 2019, cutting short a prosecution of his crimes.
Epstein was known to have rubbed shoulders with some of the world’s most powerful and wealthy figures, including Prince Andrew, Bill Gates, now-President Donald Trump and the Clintons.
Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell were both indicted on federal sex trafficking charges stemming from Epstein’s years of abuse of underage girls. (Joe Schildhorn/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
Recent disclosures from the DOJ in compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act revealed new images and details of Clinton’s relationship with Epstein.
HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO SUBPOENA LES WEXNER, 2 OTHERS IN EPSTEIN INVESTIGATION
While none of them bear any proof of wrongdoing on their own, they have raised new questions among Republicans about what the former president may have known about Epstein’s crimes.
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, a member of the committee, said he believes the Oversight contempt effort will ensure future compliance.
“In order for Congress to do investigations, Congress has got to be able to bring people in to ask them questions and get answers so that they can do the work to fulfill our oversight function,” Jordan told Fox News Digital on Wednesday morning.
Democrats at the markup called Republican efforts a partisan attack meant to target the political adversaries of President Donald Trump.
Rep. Emily Randall, D-Wash., said she would not defend the Clintons but framed the contempt recommendations as an extension of Trump’s political objectives.
“I do not feel it is my responsibility to defend the former President of the United States as a member of Congress, in a separate and co-equal branch of government — just like it is not your responsibility, Mr. Chair, to carry out the political retribution of the current president,” Randall said.
‘THE VIEW’ HOSTS CALL ON CLINTONS TO COMPLY WITH SUBPOENA, TESTIFY ON EPSTEIN
Rep. Dave Min, D-Calif., said he feared the committee’s efforts would continue to weaponize Congress’ investigation powers.
“I’m very troubled by this criminal contempt motion,” Min said. “I have deep concerns that this looks like a political witch hunt against Trump’s critics, that it will be referred to the Department of Justice.”
The Clintons were two of 10 people subpoenaed by the Oversight Committee but are the only two facing contempt threats so far for not appearing.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Despite his concerns, Min added that he also believed the Clintons should have complied with the congressional orders.
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“No one should be above the law, including presidents and former presidents, and congressional subpoenas are an important part of that rule of law. And I think the Clintons should be here. I think it’s very shameful that they’re not,” Min said.
With the committee having voted to suggest House-wide contempt resolutions against the Clintons, the chamber will likely consider them sometime in February, according to statements Comer made to Fox News Digital last week.
Hillary, Bill Clinton stare down criminal contempt charges after defying House subpoenas in Epstein probe
Chairman James Comer said contempt proceedings would begin against the Clintons next Wednesday
House GOP releases video of empty chair as Hillary Clinton defies subpoena
The House Oversight Committee released a video of the panel’s lawyers addressing an empty chair after Hillary Clinton failed to appear for her scheduled deposition date in Congress’ Epstein probe. (Credit: House Oversight Committee Republicans)
Hillary and Bill Clinton are both now risking possible criminal charges after defying subpoenas to appear before the House Oversight Committee.
Hillary Clinton was compelled to sit for a sworn deposition behind closed doors on Wednesday morning as part of the House’s bipartisan probe into Jeffrey Epstein.
However, the former secretary of state refused to appear, and the House Oversight Committee will begin contempt of Congress proceedings, a source familiar told Fox News Digital.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., confirmed to reporters Wednesday morning that the Clintons would face punishment.
TOP GOP CHAIR ISSUES STARK WARNING TO CLINTONS IF THEY DEFY DEPOSITIONS IN EPSTEIN INVESTIGATION
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her husband, former U.S. president Bill Clinton. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
“We’re going to hold both Clintons in criminal contempt of Congress,” Comer said.
“The [Epstein estate] complied with our lawful subpoena. [Former Attorney General Bill Barr and former Trump Labor Secretary Alex Acosta] came in and were deposed because of our lawful subpoenas. This same lawful subpoena was issued to the Clintons, and they defied it,” Comer said.
He told Fox News Digital that the committee would begin the contempt process on Wednesday.
Comer also criticized Democrats for not showing up to the scheduled deposition, including the committee’s ranking member Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif.
“The question that should be asked of the Democrats on the committee are, do you still support hearing from the Clintons?” Comer posed.
Later on Wednesday, the House Oversight Committee majority released a brief video showing the panel’s legal staff addressing an empty chair to emphasize Clinton’s absence.
She was expected to skip the meeting after her and former President Bill Clinton’s attorneys wrote to House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., arguing the subpoenas were not legally enforceable.
A committee aide said earlier that the committee would initiate contempt of Congress proceedings “in the coming days” if she did not appear. Comer is already moving forward with contempt proceedings against Bill Clinton.
The lawyers’ letter argued Comer’s subpoenas were “invalid and legally unenforceable, untethered to a valid legislative purpose, unwarranted because they do not seek pertinent information, and an unprecedented infringement on the separation of powers.”
HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO SUBPOENA LES WEXNER, 2 OTHERS IN EPSTEIN INVESTIGATION
The House Oversight Committee released video of its deposition of Hillary Clinton, featuring an empty chair emphasizing Clinton’s absence. (House Oversight Committee Majority)
It also compared Comer’s leadership of the probe to Joseph McCarthy’s 1950s-era abuse of congressional power, while pointing out that President Donald Trump has publicly called for the federal government to look into Bill Clinton’s Epstein ties.
“Mindful of these defects, we trust you will engage in good faith to de-escalate this dispute,” the letter said.
Comer told reporters Tuesday that he read the letter but suggested his probe would be undeterred.
The former president similarly skipped his own scheduled deposition on Tuesday, prompting Comer to say his panel would move ahead with advancing a contempt of Congress resolution against him next week.
Such resolutions need to advance through the relevant committees before being considered in a House-wide vote.
HILLARY CLINTON EXPECTED TO DEFY EPSTEIN PROBE SUBPOENA, RISKING CRIMINAL CHARGES
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., speaks at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 21, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
It’s then up to the Department of Justice (DOJ) on whether to pursue the resulting criminal referral if a majority of House lawmakers vote to make it.
Contempt of Congress charges are a misdemeanor that carry up to a year in jail and a maximum fine of $100,000.
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Former Trump advisors Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro were notably charged and convicted of contempt of Congress for defying subpoenas by the now-defunct select committee on the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.
The former first couple were two of 10 people subpoenaed by Comer as part of the panel’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. The subpoenas were issued following a bipartisan vote by an Oversight subcommittee panel during an unrelated hearing on illegal immigration.
