Former President Bill Clinton did not show up for a deposition before the House Oversight Committee today. Hillary Clinton is expected to appear in court tomorrow, but it’s unclear if she will actually respond.
At 10:07 a.m., House Oversight Committee Counsel noted that Bill Clinton was absent. Included in the documents was a preliminary communication from Hillary Clinton’s attorney, David Kendall, confirming that she had received the initial subpoena last August, along with a follow-up letter from Chairman Comer sent in December 2025, warning her about potential contempt of Congress for not appearing. As of 10:10 a.m., Clinton’s chair was empty.
Committee Chairman James Comer stated, “It’s unfortunate that President Clinton did not comply with a Congressional subpoena. The Oversight Committee will now initiate proceedings to hold the former President in contempt of Congress for disregarding the law.”
Bipartisan subpoenas followed a July 2025 vote by the House Federal Law Enforcement Oversight Subcommittee to broaden the Epstein investigation and issue subpoenas to the Clintons in August 2025. Comer clarified that this motion was not solely his, but was unanimously passed by the entire committee.
Previously, Bill Clinton was willing to submit a written statement—a concession accepted from other officials like James Comey and Robert Mueller. However, Comer emphasized that they were seeking direct testimony from the Clintons. “There’s just one question I have.”
In his public comments, Comer reiterated the committee’s interest in questioning Clinton directly. “One reason many Americans want answers from President Clinton is that Jeffrey Epstein visited the White House 17 times during his presidency. I’ve been in Congress for nine years and have only visited the White House nine times. Epstein was there twice as long as I’ve been under one president.”
He also mentioned that Clinton had flown on Epstein’s plane around 27 times while in office. Comer stressed, “No one is accusing Bill Clinton of any wrongdoing.” Yet, he found it significant that Clinton did not attend, remarking on the lack of concern from Democratic members of the committee.
Facing mounting pressure, both Clintons issued a joint statement on social media, stating, “This is not a question of right or left. This is about right and wrong.” They chose to disable comments on their posts.
Their statement criticized recent government activities, asserting, “In the past year, we’ve seen unprecedented conduct, including actions against our own citizens.” They highlighted instances where people have been forcibly taken by federal agents from their homes or workplaces, urging the public to recognize the need to stand for the country’s values, regardless of the consequences.
They expressed concern that the congressional committee has shown no oversight regarding the Department of Justice’s compliance with the law to release all the Epstein documents, which include materials about them.
Anticipating possible contempt charges, they asserted, “This is not a solution to America’s issues. We will defend ourselves vigorously.” They added that their commitment to counteracting harmful policies by the Republican Party seems to take precedence over pursuing contempt charges against them.
The Clintons argued, “You summoned eight other individuals beyond us. You dismissed seven of them without explanation and never attempted to compel their court appearances.” They labeled their subpoenas as “legally invalid,” stating they had provided more than enough testimony from seven of the other individuals related to the Epstein case.
In their conclusion, they emphasized, “You maintain that it’s not our decision to make, but we have made it, and now it’s up to you.”
In response, Congressman Comer said: Bill Clinton’s remarks reflect the gravity of the situation, emphasizing that Epstein’s survivors deserve justice. “Refusal to comply with duly authorized Congressional subpoenas in the Epstein investigation is unacceptable. No one is above the law.”
His comments were accompanied by several previously released photographs of Bill Clinton, including one of him with Epstein.
As reported by other outlets, the Clintons continue to resist the summons, offering written statements instead of live testimony. Hillary Clinton stated through her attorney that she had “no personal knowledge of Mr. Epstein’s or Mr. Maxwell’s criminal activities” and denied flying on his plane or visiting his island. Kendall noted that Bill Clinton hadn’t communicated with Epstein in over 20 years.
Today’s absence suggests that contempt proceedings will begin next week, with eyes now on whether Hillary Clinton will make her scheduled court appearance tomorrow.
