A U.S. House of Representatives panel led by Republicans recommended that former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton be held in contempt of Congress for refusing to testify about their connections to Jeffrey Epstein. The committee accused the Clintons of not cooperating with the House Oversight Committee and avoiding appearing in person, claiming the investigation was biased in favor of President Donald Trump.
The panel voted in favor of holding Bill Clinton in contempt with a 34-8 vote and Hillary Clinton with a 28-15 vote, all 25 Republicans supporting the measures. The next step involves House votes to refer the cases to the Justice Department for possible prosecution. Contempt of Congress carries penalties of up to one year in jail and $100,000 in fines.
The resolutions passed by the committee stated that the Clintons’ refusal to comply with subpoenas after five months of negotiations significantly disrupted the oversight probe and lacked valid legal justification. Bill Clinton offered to testify under oath at his New York office, which was declined by the House Oversight Committee chair, James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky.
While Trump and Epstein were acquainted in the past, Trump claimed to have severed ties before Epstein’s guilty plea to prostitution charges. Bill Clinton acknowledged flying on Epstein’s plane multiple times in the early 2000s post his presidency, expressing regret over the association and denying knowledge of Epstein’s illegal activities.
In the 2016 presidential election, Trump and Hillary Clinton were fierce opponents, with Trump supporters chanting “lock her up” at campaign rallies.