House Republicans are moving to hold both Bill and Hillary Clinton in criminal contempt of Congress after the couple refused to show up for depositions in the GOP’s Jeffrey Epstein investigation—even though Hillary Clinton’s name hasn’t appeared in a single one of the thousands of Epstein files released so far.
“We’re going to hold both Clintons in criminal contempt of Congress,” Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) announced Wednesday morning, one day after Bill Clinton skipped his scheduled deposition and Hillary failed to appear for hers.
WHAT’S GOING ON: The Oversight Committee subpoenaed the Clintons last year as part of their Epstein probe. After five months of negotiations and multiple scheduling delays—including a postponement for a funeral attendance—the couple decided they weren’t going to play ball.
“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 in a letter to Comer Tuesday. “For us, now is that time.”
Their lawyers argue the subpoenas are “legally invalid,” “untethered to a valid legislative purpose,” and “an unprecedented infringement on the separation of powers.”
BUT BUT BUT: Here’s the thing: Hillary Clinton hasn’t been accused of any wrongdoing related to Epstein. Her name hasn’t appeared in the thousands of files the Justice Department has released since the Epstein Files Transparency Act passed. Not once.
Her spokesperson Nick Merrill put it bluntly last month: “Since this started, we’ve been asking what the hell Hillary Clinton has to do with this, and he hasn’t been able to come up with an answer.”
Bill Clinton’s name has appeared—the first document release included numerous pictures of him—but he’s also not accused of any wrongdoing. He’s said he cut ties with Epstein before the financier was accused of having sex with a minor in 2006.
WHY IT MATTERS: Comer claims the committee “bent over backwards” to accommodate the Clintons. The Clintons say they expected the contempt vote all along: “You will say it is not our decision to make. But we have made it. Now you have to make yours.”
The committee will vote on both contempt measures next Wednesday before bringing them to the House floor. Speaker Mike Johnson has already tipped his hand, saying Monday, “I think it would be contempt of Congress if they didn’t turn up.”
Meanwhile, more than 2 million Epstein files still haven’t been released—the statutory deadline was December 19. But sure, let’s focus on Hillary Clinton, whose connection to any of this remains a mystery to everyone except House Republicans who’ve spent decades making her their favorite political target.