WASHINGTON, D.C. – Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have refused to comply with a House of Representatives subpoena to testify in the investigation of financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

In a letter sent Tuesday, the Clintons accused Republican Representative James Comer, who chairs the committee, of using the probe to “harass and embarrass” political opponents while protecting allies, including former President Donald Trump. They called the subpoena “legally invalid” and warned they would “forcefully defend” themselves.

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Background

• Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking and conspiracy charges.
• Both Clinton and Trump had documented associations with Epstein but have denied knowledge of his crimes involving underage girls.
• The Clintons argued they had already provided all relevant information to the committee, suggesting the subpoena was purely political.

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Congressional Response

Representative Comer announced plans to begin contempt of Congress proceedings against the Clintons next week. This process would require a full House vote and could eventually lead to prosecution by the Department of Justice, though Comer emphasized that “no one’s accusing the Clintons of any wrongdoing.”

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Epstein Files Controversy

• Last year, Congress passed a law requiring the DOJ to release all investigation files on Epstein.
• Only a fraction of the documents has been released, fueling concerns about bias and selective disclosure, with critics claiming more attention has been focused on the Clintons than Trump.
• Bipartisan lawmakers, including Democrat Ro Khanna and Republican Thomas Massie, have requested a federal judge appoint a neutral expert to oversee the document release, citing “urgent and grave concerns” over potential legal violations.