The House Oversight Committee is set to discuss whether to elevate the issue of holding former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress. This comes as both have missed their scheduled depositions related to the House’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, and the committee plans to address this on Wednesday morning.
If the committee approves the resolution, it will bring the matter to the entire House for consideration on contempt charges. According to the findings, Clinton declined to attend a deposition originally scheduled for January 13, 2026. The committee noted, “President Clinton’s refusal to comply with the subpoena materially impeded the Oversight Committee’s investigation,” even after they had extended the deadline at his request.
The Clintons had been summoned to appear before lawmakers in October 2025, with Bill Clinton’s hearing set for the 14th and Hillary Clinton’s for the 9th. Epstein, who was facing serious charges of sex trafficking minors, died by suicide in 2019 while in custody, which led to the dropping of those charges.
Epstein had been associated with various powerful individuals, including President Trump, Bill Gates, and the Clintons. Recently, the Department of Justice has disclosed new evidence related to Epstein that sheds light on the ties between him and Bill Clinton.
This new information has resulted in renewed questions among Republican lawmakers regarding Clinton’s knowledge of Epstein’s activities. They claim that Clinton possesses crucial information about Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s efforts to establish connections with influential figures while running a sex trafficking operation. The committee stated that Clinton’s testimony could facilitate their exploration of potential legal reforms aimed at addressing such trafficking activities.
Both Clintons are among ten individuals subpoenaed by House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer as part of this inquiry. However, they currently face contempt threats for failing to appear, unlike the other subpoenas issued.
The subpoenas emerged from a bipartisan vote during a committee hearing held last summer. Since then, the investigation has sparked significant partisan conflict, with Republicans and Democrats accusing one another of politicizing the issue in ways that overshadow the plight of Epstein’s victims.
It is anticipated that the contempt resolution will progress along party lines. Comer has indicated that the House may vote on these matters within three legislative days. Given the upcoming recess scheduled for next week, any vote will likely extend into February.
