House Oversight Committee rejects Clintons’ effort to avoid contempt of Congress vote

A last-ditch effort by former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to avoid a contempt of Congress vote for not showing up to testify regarding their relationship with Jeffrey Epstein was denied Monday by the House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer.

In a letter to attorneys for the Clintons, Mr. Comer, Kentucky Republican, said he has “serious concerns with the offer” they made. He slammed their move as “unreasonable” and said the Clintons’ “desire for special treatment is both frustrating and an affront to the American people’s desire for transparency.”

Lawyers for the couple proposed that Mr. Clinton sit for a four-hour transcribed interview along with an under-oath deposition, and for Mrs. Clinton to submit a sworn declaration.

“Had President Clinton initially offered to participate in a transcribed interview upon receiving his subpoena, the Committee might have considered that approach,” Mr. Comer’s letter said. “But given that he has already failed to appear for a deposition and has refused for several months to provide the Committee with in-person testimony, the Committee cannot simply have faith that President Clinton will not refuse to answer questions at a transcribed interview, resulting in the Committee being right back where it is today.”

Mr. Comer also pushed back on the requested four-hour limit because it would give Mr. Clinton incentive to “run out the clock.”

“The Clintons are not above the law,” said a post on X from the committee sharing its letter to the lawyers.

House GOP leaders are reportedly planning for the contempt of Congress vote against the Clintons to hit the floor on Wednesday.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, New York Democrat, said he will discuss “these so-called criminal contempt resolutions” with his caucus on Tuesday.

“I’m a hard ’no’ on the shenanigans of House Republicans,” Mr. Jeffries told reporters Monday. “I don’t believe it’s serious, and I also think that there have been ongoing discussions by the Clintons and their lawyers to testify that have been repeatedly, apparently rejected by House Republicans on the Oversight Committee because they don’t want a serious interview.”

“They want a charade, and it’s not something that I’m down with,” he said.

The Clintons were subpoenaed by the committee last August over their ties to Epstein as part of the ongoing investigation.

They didn’t show up for their scheduled depositions last month, leading to the committee voting to hold the two in contempt of Congress. The panel voted 34-8, including nine Democrats, to hold Mr. Clinton in contempt, and 28-15, including three Democrats, to hold Mrs. Clinton in contempt.

“No witness, not a former president or a private citizen, may willfully defy a duly issued congressional subpoena without consequence, but that is what the Clintons did, and that is why we are here today,” Mr. Comer said at the time.

“The Clintons’ testimony is critical to understanding Epstein’s sex trafficking network and the ways he sought to curry favor and influence to shield himself from scrutiny,” he said. “Their testimony may also inform how Congress can strengthen laws to better combat human trafficking.”

Mr. Clinton’s relationship with the deceased sex offender is well-documented. Records show that Epstein visited the White House 17 times during the Clinton administration. He has also flown on Epstein’s private jet numerous times, but denies visiting Epstein’s island where many of the crimes took place.

• Susan Ferrechio contributed to this story.