House committee advances contempt resolutions against Bill and Hillary Clinton with Dem support

The House of Representatives may soon consider putting former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on criminal charges for failing to comply with congressional subpoenas.

Republicans on the House Oversight Committee voted Wednesday to approve two Clinton contempt resolutions after they failed to appear for filing in the committee’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein earlier this month.

The committee voted 34-8 to advance a contempt recommendation against Bill Clinton, with two voting members present, and another on Hillary Clinton by 28-15, with one voting member present. Nine Democrats voted with Republicans to advance contempt recommendations against Bill Clinton and three Democrats joined Republicans in voting against Hillary Clinton.

Former President Bill Clinton, left, alongside his wife and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, right. (Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Images)

“The committee does not take this step lightly. The subpoenas are not mere suggestions,” Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., said of the Clintons’ no-shows.[Subpoenas] have the force of law and demand respect. Former President Clinton and Secretary of State Clinton were legally required to appear for depositions before this committee. »

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“They refused,” he added.

If the House votes to dismiss the Clintons for contempt, it will be up to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to decide whether to pursue charges. A conviction for contempt of Congress can result in a fine of up to $100,000 and a year in prison.

Republican members of the committee say that by failing to appear before lawmakers, the Clintons obstructed Congress’ investigations into Epstein and his activities. Bill and Hillary Clinton initially received subpoenas to appear before lawmakers on October 14 and October 9, 2025, respectively, to answer questions about Epstein’s dealings, but even after working with the committee to reschedule, they did not show up for questioning.

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A lawyer for the Clintons wrote to the committee, calling the subpoenas “invalid and legally unenforceable” and saying they were unrelated to any legislative purpose.

Instead, the Clintons offered Comer the opportunity to travel to New York to conduct an interview himself without an official transcript.

Comer rejected the offer, calling it “insulting.”

“The Clintons’ latest claims make it clear that they believe their last name entitles them to special treatment,” Comer said in a statement. “The House Oversight Committee rejects the Clintons’ unreasonable requests and will move forward with contempt resolutions.”

Epstein, a former financier, committed suicide while incarcerated for sex trafficking of minors in 2019, ending prosecution for his crimes.

Epstein was known for rubbing shoulders with some of the world’s most powerful and wealthy people, including Prince Andrew, Bill Gates, current President Donald Trump and the Clintons.

Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell were both indicted on federal sex trafficking charges stemming from Epstein’s years of abuse of underage girls. (Joe Schildhorn/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)

Recent DOJ disclosures, pursuant to the Epstein Transparency Records Act, have revealed new images and details about Clinton’s relationship with Epstein.

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While none of them alone bears evidence of wrongdoing, they have raised new questions among Republicans about what the former president might have known about Epstein’s crimes.

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, a committee member, said he believes contempt oversight efforts will ensure future compliance.

“For Congress to be able to conduct investigations, Congress has to be able to bring people in to ask them questions and get answers so they can do the work necessary to fulfill our oversight function,” Jordan told Fox News Digital on Wednesday morning.

Democrats have called the Republican efforts a partisan attack intended to target President Donald Trump’s political opponents.

Rep. Emily Randall, Democrat of Washington, said she would not defend the Clintons but framed the contempt recommendations as an extension of Trump’s policy goals.

“I do not believe it is my responsibility to defend the former President of the United States as a member of Congress, in a separate and equal branch of government – ​​just as it is not your responsibility, Mr. President, to take political retaliation against the current President,” Randall said.

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Rep. Dave Min, Democrat of California, said he was concerned that the committee’s efforts would continue to weaponize Congress’ investigative powers.

“I am very troubled by this petition for criminal contempt,” Min said. “I deeply fear that this will resemble a political witch hunt against Trump critics and that the matter will be referred to the Justice Department.”

The Clintons were two of ten subpoenaed by the Oversight Committee, but are so far the only two facing threats of contempt for failing to appear.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Despite his concerns, Min added that he also believes the Clintons should have complied with Congress’s orders.

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“No one should be above the law, including presidents and former presidents, and congressional subpoenas are an important part of that rule of law. And I think the Clintons should be here. I think it’s very shameful that they’re not,” Min said.

With the committee voting to suggest House-wide contempt resolutions against the Clintons, the chamber will likely consider them sometime in February, according to statements Comer made to Fox News Digital last week.