Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton received a subpoena from the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday, though it appears she plans to disregard it, which could lead to criminal charges.
Hillary is set to leave her office privately at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, while the Republican-led committee is likely to hold some kind of press conference, regardless of her attendance.
This week, lawyers representing both Hillary and Bill Clinton sent a letter to House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, asserting that the subpoenas issued are “invalid and unenforceable.”
However, Comer has hinted at pursuing contempt of Congress actions against both Clintons if they do not show up for their January depositions, which have already been postponed twice due to discussions with their legal team.
Bill Clinton did not appear for his own deposition scheduled for the same time on Tuesday, leaving that meeting unattended.
Comer informed reporters that the committee plans to convene next week to advance a contempt resolution against the former president.
When asked whether a similar course of action would follow if Hillary did not show up, Comer replied, “We’ll see. We’ll talk about it.”
Both Clintons were among ten individuals subpoenaed as part of investigations into Jeffrey Epstein. These subpoenas came after a bipartisan vote from a subcommittee during an unrelated session about illegal immigration.
Interestingly, it seems that the Democrats Bill Clinton was hoping to see in this process didn’t show up.
Comer expressed his disappointment, stating, “We didn’t have a single Democrat here today. It seems like their focus is just on boosting Republicans.” He noted prior questioning of former Trump administration officials such as Alex Acosta and Bill Barr, but remarked that President Clinton’s absence went unchallenged.
In a response letter, the Clintons’ attorneys criticized Comer’s leadership on the investigation, minimizing the significance of the subpoena. They mentioned, “President Clinton and Secretary Clinton have already shared the limited information they have regarding Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.” They also warned that the insistence on compelling their appearance might prolong unnecessary legal battles and distract from the committee’s primary objectives.
After Bill Clinton missed his deposition, Comer stated, “No one is accusing Bill Clinton of wrongdoing. We just have questions. And that’s why Democrats voted with Republicans to subpoena Bill Clinton.”
For any contempt resolution to advance, the House Oversight Committee must first table it before the full House votes. Should a simple majority vote for contempt of Congress, the case would typically be referred to the Justice Department.
Contempt of Congress is categorized as a misdemeanor, carrying the potential for up to one year in prison and fines that can reach $100,000 upon conviction.
