A U.S. House of Representatives panel led by Republicans recommended Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, former president and secretary of state, be held in contempt of Congress for refusing to testify about their connections to Jeffrey Epstein. The committee accused the Clintons of failing to cooperate and appearing before the panel, claiming the investigation was biased in favor of President Donald Trump.
The committee voted in favor of holding Bill Clinton in contempt by a 34-8 margin and Hillary Clinton by a 28-15 margin, with all 25 Republicans supporting the measures. The next step involves House votes to pass the cases to the Justice Department for potential prosecution, requiring a simple majority in the House where Republicans have a 218-213 majority. Contempt of Congress is a misdemeanor carrying penalties of up to a year in jail and $100,000 in fines.
The committee resolutions stated that the Clintons’ refusal to comply with subpoenas after lengthy negotiations significantly impeded the oversight probe and lacked legal justification. Bill Clinton offered to testify under oath at his New York office, but this offer was turned down by 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 with Epstein before his legal troubles. Bill Clinton acknowledged flying on Epstein’s plane in the early 2000s post his presidency, expressing remorse for the association and denying knowledge of Epstein’s illicit activities.
During the 2016 presidential election, Trump and Hillary Clinton were fierce opponents, with Trump supporters often chanting “lock her up” at campaign events.