House Oversight Committee Advances Contempt Resolutions Against Clintons in Epstein Probe
Updated (13 articles)
Bipartisan Committee Vote Sends Contempt Measures to Full House The Republican‑led House Oversight Committee approved contempt resolutions against former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, with the Bill Clinton measure passing 34‑8 and the Hillary Clinton measure 28‑15. Nine Democrats joined Republicans to hold Bill Clinton in contempt, while three Democrats supported the Hillary Clinton action. The resolutions now move to the full House for a vote on whether to refer the matter to the Justice Department[1][2][3][4].
Speaker Johnson Pledges Full‑House Vote and Possible DOJ Referral Speaker Mike Johnson announced his intention to bring the contempt resolutions to the floor, aligning with the committee chair’s push for a full‑House decision. If the House adopts the measures, the matter would be referred to the Justice Department for potential prosecution, a misdemeanor punishable by up to $100,000 in fines and one year in jail. Johnson’s backing underscores the political stakes of compelling testimony from former officials[1][4].
Clinton Legal Team Offers Limited Interview, Negotiations Collapse Clinton attorneys proposed a limited interview in New York, insisting on an official transcript of the session; the committee rejected that condition and later declined a staff‑only note‑taking arrangement. The lawyers also argued the subpoenas were unenforceable and asserted they had already supplied all available Epstein‑related information. These stalled negotiations have propelled the contempt effort forward[1][2][4].
Maxwell Subpoena, DOJ Files, and Unreleased Epstein Documents Remain The committee subpoenaed Ghislaine Maxwell, scheduling a closed‑door deposition for February 9, where she is expected to invoke Fifth Amendment rights. A bipartisan subpoena also demanded the Justice Department and Epstein’s estate release additional files, with Attorney General Pam Bondi slated to testify before the Judiciary Committee in February. Officials note that the majority of Epstein‑related documents remain unreleased and heavily redacted, hindering the investigation’s transparency[2][3][1].
Sources (4 articles)
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[1]
BBC: House panel votes to hold Clintons in contempt over Epstein subpoenas: reports the bipartisan committee vote, split Democratic support, and details the potential misdemeanor penalties and the release of historic Clinton‑Epstein photos.
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[2]
AP: House committee advances contempt charges against Bill and Hillary Clinton over Epstein probe: highlights the party‑line vote, the Clintons’ offer of a transcripted interview that was rejected, and the ongoing Maxwell subpoena and DOJ file demands.
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[3]
Newsweek: House Advances Clinton Contempt Resolutions in Epstein Inquiry: emphasizes vote tallies, the Clintons’ letter criticizing the subpoenas, and the broader goal of exposing gaps in Epstein accountability while noting no former president has ever been forced to testify.
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[4]
CNN: House panel votes to hold Clintons in contempt in Epstein probe: focuses on Speaker Johnson’s support, the February 9 Maxwell deposition, and the dispute over note‑taking during a proposed limited interview.
Stories about this story (6 stories)
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BBC: House panel votes to hold Clintons in contempt over Epstein subpoenas
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AP: House committee advances contempt charges against Bill and Hillary Clinton over Epstein probe
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House Oversight Committee Sends Bipartisan Clinton Contempt Resolutions to Full Chamber for Vote (4 articles)
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Clintons Reject House Oversight Subpoenas, Prompting Contempt Threats (3 articles)
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Clinton Couple Skips House Oversight Deposition, Faces Potential Contempt Charges (3 articles)
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CNN: House Oversight Chair Sets New Deposition Dates for Clintons in Epstein Probe
All related articles (13 articles)
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BBC: House panel votes to hold Clintons in contempt over Epstein subpoenas
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AP: House committee advances contempt charges against Bill and Hillary Clinton over Epstein probe
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Newsweek: House Advances Clinton Contempt Resolutions in Epstein Inquiry
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CNN: House panel votes to hold Clintons in contempt in Epstein probe
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CNN: House Oversight moves forward on contempt against Clintons after Hillary Clinton's no-show in Epstein probe
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Newsweek: Johnson Reacts as Clintons Defy Epstein Subpoenas
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AP: Clintons refuse to testify in House Epstein probe
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CNN: Clintons refuse to testify as House moves toward contempt in Epstein probe
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Newsweek: Clintons refuse to testify in Epstein inquiry, signaling clash with House Republicans
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WBNS (Columbus, OH): Clinton duo risk contempt of Congress after skipping Epstein hearing
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King5 (Seattle, WA): Clinton couple face contempt of Congress after skipping Epstein hearing
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CNN: House Oversight Chair Sets New Deposition Dates for Clintons in Epstein Probe
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AP: Comer Threatens Contempt Proceedings Against Clintons Over Epstein Inquiry
External resources (15 links)
- https://oversight.house.gov/release/chairman-comer-blasts-the-clintons-unreasonable-demands-to-evade-contempt-they-believe-their-last-name-entitles-them-to-special-treatment/ (cited 2 times)
- https://oversight.house.gov/release/chairman-comer-subpoenas-bill-and-hillary-clinton-former-u-s-attorneys-general-and-fbi-directors-and-records-related-to-jeffrey-epstein/ (cited 2 times)
- https://www.justice.gov/epstein (cited 2 times)
- https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%202/EFTA00003168.pdf (cited 2 times)
- https://docs.house.gov/meetings/GO/GO00/20260121/118877/BILLS-119HResXih.pdf (cited 1 times)
- https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%202/EFTA00003176.pdf (cited 1 times)
- https://www.senate.gov/committees/SittingPresidentsVicePresidentsWhoHaveTestifiedBeforeCongressionalCommittees.htm (cited 1 times)
- https://lawreview.syr.edu/house-oversight-chair-threatens-clintons-with-contempt-in-epstein-subpoena-feud/ (cited 2 times)
- https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/us/politics/bill-hillary-clinton-testimony-epstein-inquiry-contempt.html (cited 2 times)
- https://x.com/BillClinton/status/2011098958236697021 (cited 2 times)
- https://x.com/BillClinton/status/2011098958236697021?s=20 (cited 1 times)
- https://x.com/GOPOversight (cited 1 times)
- https://x.com/GOPoversight (cited 1 times)
- https://x.com/angelurena/status/2013733532602945889?s=46 (cited 1 times)
- https://x.com/gopoversight/status/2013742043856601301?s=46 (cited 1 times)