Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have refused to testify under subpoena in a Republican led House Oversight investigation relating to the files detailing the late sex trafficker, Jeffrey Epstein, whom the Clintons had ties to.
In a letter to Oversight Committee Chair Rep. James Comer published on their social media, the Clintons argued the subpoenas they were served are “invalid and legally unenforceable,” and said the inquiry was designed to score political points rather than gather new facts.
They also said they had already shared what limited information they had about Jeffrey Epstein and accused the committee of targeting them while allowing other subpoena recipients to resolve requests through written statements. Comer, a Kentucky Republican, told reporters that the committee would move forward with contempt proceedings against Bill Clinton after he failed to appear for a closed-door deposition scheduled on Tuesday, January 13, 2026.
Comer said the subpoenas were approved by the committee rather than issued unilaterally and warned that similar action could follow regarding Hillary Clinton if she also does not comply. The current investigation is unfolding as pressure on the Justice Department to release additional records related to Epstein increases following passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
The act declared that all of the files must be released within 30 days of the passage of the law. However, it was passed in November and only a small fraction of the files has been released. Many have speculated that this is due to President Donald Trump’s close ties with Epstein. Former President Clinton alleged that he was being used as a “scapegoat” by Trump regarding the trials. The President has repeatedly alleged that Bill Clinton had visited Epstein’s island, Little Saint James, 28 times.
Epstein, a wealthy financier, died in federal custody in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His associate Ghislaine Maxwell was later convicted in connection with recruiting and grooming underage girls for Epstein and is serving a lengthy prison sentence.
Bill Clinton’s past contact with Epstein has been publicly documented for years, including references to Epstein’s visits to the White House during Clinton’s presidency and Clinton’s travel on Epstein’s private jet, details Comer has highlighted as he argues the public deserves answers about the nature of their interactions. Clinton has denied any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and has not been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein’s trafficking operation.
