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The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee took the extraordinary step Wednesday of advancing resolutions to find former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress after both failed to appear for transcribed depositions in the Jeffrey Epstein probe. This move follows subpoenas issued last summer and signals that Republicans on the committee are no longer willing to accept delay and dodge tactics from the political elite.
Committee records show the subpoenas were issued on August 5, 2025, after a bipartisan subcommittee vote, and depositions were rescheduled into January 2026 when the Clintons declined earlier dates; the Oversight chair says both refused to propose alternate dates and then failed to appear. The procedural timeline is plain: subpoenas were lawfully issued, dates were set, and the former first couple did not comply with the committee’s demands for sworn, transcribed testimony.
Chairman James Comer and Republican members framed the contempt action as a simple rule-of-law matter — subpoenas are not optional and Congress has a duty to gather sworn testimony when investigating matters of public safety and justice. Conservatives watching this unfold are right to insist that no American, however powerful or well-connected, should be able to treat congressional subpoenas like polite suggestions.
The Clintons’ lawyers have argued the subpoenas lack a valid legislative purpose, offering written declarations instead of in-person depositions and accusing the committee of political theater. That legal posture is predictable, but offering statements instead of sworn testimony — then refusing the committee’s schedule — only fuels the impression that different rules apply to Beltway insiders.
A notable and politically painful fact for the Clintons is that members of both parties on the subcommittee initially supported the subpoenas, and several Democrats later joined Republicans on the contempt votes, underscoring the seriousness of the committee’s demands. The contempt resolution now heads toward a full House vote and a potential referral to the Justice Department, which would decide whether to pursue criminal charges — a path that has real consequences, as recent contempt prosecutions have shown.
Conservatives are right to point out the hypocrisy of an elite class that preaches accountability while seeking special treatment when subpoenas arrive. If contempt of Congress carries penalties for some, it must carry consequences for all — consistency is the only safeguard against weaponized enforcement and double standards from either party.
This episode is also a test of institutions: will the Justice Department act impartially in deciding whether to prosecute, or will it bow to political pressure and let another powerful family avoid a full airing under oath? The public deserves transparency and candor about ties to Epstein and the surrounding cover-ups, and Congress has the right to pursue those answers through proper, sworn testimony.
At stake is something larger than any one family: whether American law applies equally or whether fame and fortune buy immunity. Lawmakers who believe in accountability should press forward, demand the documents and testimony the public needs, and let the courts and prosecutors do their jobs without partisan fear or favor.
