• House Oversight Committee voted 34-8 and 28-15 to advance contempt resolutions against Bill and Hillary Clinton
• Nine Democrats joined Republicans on Bill Clinton contempt vote, three on Hillary Clinton vote
• Full House vote expected in February could refer case to Justice Department for criminal prosecution

WASHINGTON, DC (TDR) — The House Oversight Committee voted Wednesday to advance contempt of Congress resolutions against former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton after the couple refused to appear for depositions in the panel’s Jeffrey Epstein investigation, marking an unprecedented step toward potential criminal charges against a former president.

The committee voted 34-8 to advance one contempt recommendation against Bill Clinton, with two members voting present, and 28-15 on Hillary Clinton, with one member voting present. Nine Democrats joined Republicans in the vote against the former president, while three Democrats sided with Republicans regarding the former secretary of state.

Bipartisan Subpoenas Met With Defiance

Chairman James Comer initiated the contempt proceedings after the Clintons refused for months to comply with subpoenas originally approved unanimously by voice vote in July 2025 by Republicans and Democrats on the Federal Law Enforcement Subcommittee.

“The committee does not take this action lightly. But subpoenas are not mere suggestions; they carry the force of law and require compliance. Former President Clinton and Secretary Clinton were legally required to appear for depositions before this committee. They refused.”

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The Clintons missed scheduled depositions on Jan. 13 and Jan. 14, after multiple postponements and failed negotiations with committee leadership. Bill Clinton’s deposition was initially scheduled for October 2025, then moved to December, before being rescheduled for January following a funeral the couple needed to attend.

Committee Republicans have focused on Bill Clinton’s documented travels on Epstein’s private aircraft in the early 2000s and the Clinton family’s past relationship with Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell. Neither Clinton has been accused of wrongdoing related to Epstein’s crimes.

Rejected Compromise Offer

The vote became inevitable Tuesday when Comer rejected an 11th-hour offer from the Clintons’ attorneys to have the former president testify before only Comer and Ranking Member Robert Garcia in New York, with just two staff members each, no other committee members, and no official transcript.

“The Clintons’ latest demands make clear they believe their last name entitles them to special treatment. The House Oversight Committee’s bipartisan subpoenas require the Clintons to appear for depositions that are under oath and transcribed.”

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The Clintons’ spokesperson Angel Ureña disputed Comer’s characterization, telling ABC News the couple “never said no to a transcript.”

“Interviews are on the record and under oath. Whether it was written or typed isn’t why this is happening. If that were the last or only issue, we’d be in a different position. You keep misdirecting to protect you-know-who and God knows what.”

The Clintons provided written declarations dated Jan. 13 denying any personal knowledge of the criminal activities of Epstein and Maxwell. In his declaration, Bill Clinton said Epstein offered his private plane to the former president, his staff and Secret Service detail in support of Clinton Foundation philanthropic work between 2002 and 2003, but denied visiting Epstein’s private island or having contact with him for more than a decade before his 2019 arrest.

Hillary Clinton said she did not recall encountering Epstein or specific interactions with him, never flew on his plane, and never visited his private island.

Democratic Split Over Enforcement

While some Democrats voted to advance the contempt resolutions, others criticized the timing and focus of the investigation. Rep. Ro Khanna told CNN the panel should prioritize obtaining the full Epstein files from the Justice Department before compelling testimony.

“Here’s a commonsense way forward: Release all the files. President Clinton has called for releasing all the files. Once all the files are released, you can call President Clinton and Secretary Clinton or President Trump to come before our committee and testify. Comer is trying to distract with all of these things. Just get the files released, and then I do believe that the Clintons should come before the committee, but first release the files.”

Garcia criticized Republican leadership for focusing on the Clintons while not pursuing others with closer connections to Epstein.

“While Comer continues partisan attacks on many people, particularly Democrats, he has done little to bring in the folks that know the most. What about Ghislaine Maxwell? Here is Jeffrey Epstein’s co-conspirator. Why not bring her in to be deposed in front of the committee? What about [Attorney General] Pam Bondi, who’s released 1 percent of the files?”

However, Rep. Grace Min acknowledged both concerns while supporting enforcement of congressional authority.

“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.”

Historical Precedent And Next Steps

Contempt of Congress proceedings are rare, historically used for high-profile investigations such as the 1940s inquiry into alleged Communist sympathizers in Hollywood or Richard Nixon’s impeachment proceedings. Most recently, Trump advisers Peter Navarro and Steve Bannon were convicted of contempt charges for defying subpoenas from the House Jan. 6 committee, with both men spending months in prison.

The contempt resolutions now advance to the full House for a vote expected in early February, after the chamber returns from a scheduled recess. Speaker Mike Johnson indicated last week he would bring the measures to a floor vote if approved by committee.

If passed by a simple majority, the resolution would direct Johnson to refer the case to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia under the Department of Justice for possible criminal prosecution. Successful prosecution could result in substantial fines and even incarceration, though passage through the full House remains uncertain given Republicans’ narrow majority.

The Clintons’ legal team has argued the subpoenas are invalid because they lack a valid legislative purpose. In a letter to Comer, the couple wrote they expected the contempt vote.

“Despite everything that needs to be done to help our country, you are on the cusp of bringing Congress to a halt to pursue a rarely used process literally designed to result in our imprisonment. This is not the way out of America’s ills, and we will forcefully defend ourselves.”

No former president has ever been successfully forced to appear before Congress, though some have voluntarily testified. Trump’s lawyers previously resisted a Jan. 6 committee subpoena, citing legal precedent shielding ex-presidents from being ordered to appear before Congress.

Comer emphasized the investigation’s focus extends beyond personal relationships to understanding how Epstein’s sex trafficking network operated and how Congress can strengthen laws to combat human trafficking.

“The Clintons’ testimony remains critical to understanding Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking network, the ways Epstein sought to curry favor and influence to evade scrutiny, and how Congress can strengthen laws to better combat human trafficking.”

Will the full House vote to hold a former president in contempt for the first time in American history?

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