A U.S. House of Representatives panel led by Republicans recommended on Wednesday that former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton be held in contempt of Congress for their refusal to testify about their connections to Jeffrey Epstein. The panel accused the Clintons of failing to appear before the House Oversight Committee, citing the investigation as a politically motivated effort to shield President Donald Trump.
The committee voted to hold Bill Clinton in contempt by a margin of 34-8 and Hillary Clinton by a margin of 28-15, with all 25 Republicans supporting the contempt measures. The next steps include House votes to refer the cases to the Justice Department for potential prosecution, requiring a simple majority in the House where Republicans have a 218-213 majority. Contempt of Congress is a misdemeanor offense punishable by up to a year in jail and fines of up to $100,000.
The resolutions passed by the committee assert that the Clintons’ refusal to comply with subpoenas obstructed the oversight probe significantly and lacked valid legal justification after five months of negotiations. Bill Clinton had offered to testify under oath at his New York office, as reported by The New York Times, but the offer was rejected by House Oversight Committee chair James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky.
While acknowledging his past association with Epstein, Bill Clinton has expressed regret over the relationship and claimed ignorance about Epstein’s illicit activities. Trump, a former friend of Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s, distanced himself from Epstein after the latter’s conviction on prostitution charges. The contentious relationship between Trump and Hillary Clinton was highlighted during the 2016 presidential election, marked by chants of “lock her up” at Trump campaign events.