House Oversight panel sets vote to hold Clintons in contempt for not testifying in Epstein probe

The House Oversight Committee on Wednesday set a date of Jan. 21 to vote on holding the Clintons in contempt of Congress for refusing to testify in an investigation regarding Jeffrey Epstein – the deceased fiancer and convicted sex-offender who was an acquaintance of former President Bill Clinton and other powerful men.  

 Committee Chairman James Comer announced the vote a day after he said the panel would seek to hold the former president in contempt for failing to appear for his scheduled deposition Tuesday, NBC News reported. He said former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the former president's wife, will also face a contempt vote.

“We’re going to hold both Clintons in criminal contempt of Congress,” Comer said.

The contempt measures, if passed by the committee, will get a full House vote, he also said.

Comer said the standoff follows good faith negotiations with Clinton attorneys for five months.

"We have bent over backwards," hd  said.

The Clintons were originally subpoenaed last year, and scheduled to appear in October, but that was later pushed to December because of their attendance at a funeral. Comer said that the Clintons’ lawyers did not provide alternative dates, so he rescheduled their depositions for mid-January.

The Clintons said in a letter posted on X on Tuesday that they do not plan to appear for their scheduled depositions this week.

“Every person has to decide when they have seen or had enough and are ready to fight for this country, its principles and its people, no matter the consequences,” the Clintons wrote. “For us, now is that time.”

The Clintons added that they expected the committee to vote to hold them in contempt, saying that “you will say it is not our decision to make. But we have made it. Now you have to make yours.”

The Clintons’ lawyers also sent Comer a letter confirming they are challenging the legality of the subpoenas, Fox News reported.

"[T]he Subpoenas issued to President and Secretary Clinton are invalid and legally unenforceable. Mindful of these defects, we trust you will engage in good faith to de-escalate this dispute," reads the letter.

The Clintons have not been accused of any wrongdoing related to Epstein.