House Democrats remain silent on GOP contempt votes regarding Bill and Hillary Clinton

House Democrats Discreet on Contempt Resolutions Against Clintons

House Democrats have been mostly muted regarding their stance on two contempt resolutions aimed at former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. These resolutions are set to be discussed in a committee meeting on Wednesday morning.

The House Oversight Committee will convene at 10 a.m. to review reports that allege the Clintons are in contempt of Congress due to noncompliance with subpoenas related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. It’s anticipated that the session will feature several hours of debate, which could culminate in a vote to move these reports forward for a full House vote. This would refer the Clintons to the Department of Justice for potential criminal prosecution.

While the resolution seems likely to pass, possibly along party lines, two Democratic members on the committee were cautious when discussing their plans. Representative Ro Khanna from California suggested that the focus should be on the Epstein files first, stating, “When the files are released, call the Clintons. They should testify, as should anyone. But it’s too early to call people to testify when the files aren’t released.”

Republican Leaders Indicate Contempt Lawsuit Plans

Khanna, alongside Republican Representative Thomas Massie from Kentucky, previously pushed for a vote demanding the Justice Department to release most of the Epstein files. However, it’s been over a month since the deadline set by Congress, and the Justice Department has yet to provide the majority of the documents.

When asked how he might vote regarding the Clintons, Khanna replied, “I would say I’ll have to vote after the files are released.”

Reactions from Democratic Committee Members

Another committee member, Representative Suhas Subramanyam from Virginia, was also noncommittal. He suggested that the committee needs to assess the treatment of others who have not fully complied with subpoenas, implying a concern over partisanship in the proceedings.

The Clintons were two out of ten individuals subpoenaed after a unanimous committee vote to investigate. So far, only former Trump Attorney General Bill Barr has appeared in person, and there have been a few complications with other subpoenas.

The Clintons stand out as the only people currently facing contempt accusations from Republicans, who claim they haven’t cooperated in arranging depositions. A lawyer representing the Clintons has challenged the validity of the subpoenas.

Subramanyam remarked on the upcoming hearing, pointing out that if there’s a lack of respect towards the Clintons, he would like to know if the same treatment will extend to others, including Republicans.

Direct communication attempts with other Democrats on the committee yielded no responses, particularly from notable figures like Representative Robert Garcia, who has previously accused committee chairman James Comer of hypocrisy.

Garcia highlighted the inconsistency in enforcing subpoenas directed at the Justice Department while seeking to hold the Clintons accountable. In anticipation of the committee meeting, Comer is likely to assert that Democrats are being hypocritical by not backing the contempt vote in the House, emphasizing the importance of accountability and cooperation.