Former US President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have publicly declared they will not comply with subpoenas to testify before a Republican-led congressional investigation into the late financier and convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.
A Defiant Stance and Legal Repercussions
In a letter addressed to House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer and shared on social media, the Clintons stated, "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." They added, "For us, now is that time." The couple labelled the committee's Epstein probe as "legally invalid".
In response, Representative Comer announced that the committee will meet next week to hold Bill Clinton in contempt of Congress for failing to appear for testimony on Tuesday, 13 January 2026. This procedural move could potentially lead to criminal charges. A committee spokesperson confirmed that Hillary Clinton, who is scheduled to appear before the panel on Wednesday, will also face contempt proceedings if she does not testify.
Allegations of Partisan Politics
The Clintons have accused Chairman Comer of selective enforcement, claiming they have been singled out for in-person testimony while other former officials were permitted to provide written statements about Epstein to the committee. "There is no plausible explanation for what you are doing other than partisan politics," they wrote. They characterised the threat of contempt as "literally designed to result in our imprisonment".
Mr Comer has pushed back against accusations of targeting the Clintons for wrongdoing. "No one's accusing the Clintons of any wrongdoing. We just have questions," he told reporters after Bill Clinton's no-show. He emphasised that "most Americans" wanted answers about Mr Clinton's documented ties to Epstein, citing claims that Epstein visited the White House 17 times during the Clinton presidency and that Mr Clinton flew on Epstein's private jet more than 20 times.
The Broader Epstein Investigation Context
The investigation into Epstein's network has ensnared numerous high-profile figures. While Bill Clinton's friendship with Epstein throughout the 1990s and early 2000s is well-documented, he has never been accused of illegal activity in connection with the case. Former President Donald Trump, who also had a past association with Epstein, has stated he cut ties before the financier faced sexual abuse allegations.
Mr Comer indicated that the committee would not seek testimony from the sitting President Trump, noting it could not compel a president to testify. The current Trump administration, responding to pressure, has ordered the Justice Department to release files related to Epstein investigations under a congressional transparency law.
The standoff sets the stage for a significant constitutional and political clash, with the Clintons framing their refusal as a principled stand against a partisan inquiry, while Republican investigators insist on their right to seek testimony regarding a figure central to a major sex-trafficking case.
