Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have refused to comply with a congressional subpoena to testify before a House committee investigating convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, accusing Republicans of pursuing a politically motivated probe.
In a letter sent on Tuesday, the Clintons said the subpoena issued by the House Oversight Committee, chaired by Republican Representative James Comer, was “legally invalid” and designed to “harass and embarrass” them while shielding political allies, including U.S. President Donald Trump.
The couple said the investigation was “literally designed to result in our imprisonment” and vowed to “forcefully defend” themselves.
Comer said he would initiate contempt of Congress proceedings against the Clintons next week. Such action would require approval by the full House and could ultimately refer the matter to the Justice Department.
“No one’s accusing the Clintons of any wrongdoing,” Comer told reporters. “We just have questions.”
The Clintons said they had already provided all relevant information in their possession, arguing that compelling in-person testimony served no legitimate investigative purpose.
Epstein died by suicide in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges, but scrutiny has continued over his ties to powerful figures. Both Clinton and Trump have acknowledged past social contact with Epstein while denying any knowledge of his criminal activity.
Last year, Congress passed legislation requiring the Justice Department to release all files related to the Epstein investigation. Lawmakers from both parties, including Representatives Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, have since accused the department of failing to fully comply and called for a court-appointed independent overseer to manage the disclosures.
