The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Wednesday voted to advance two resolutions affirming that former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton should be held in contempt of Congress.
The resolutions in question stem from subpoenas approved unanimously by the Oversight Committee’s Federal Law Enforcement Subcommittee on July 23, 2025. These subpoenas required testimony from several individuals, including the Clintons, as part of a probe examining the crimes of notorious sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
Epstein, who died in 2019 while awaiting trial, had documented associations with Bill Clinton, including multiple flights on Epstein’s private jet. The committee sought depositions to gather information on the Clinton’s ties to Epstein, though no criminal allegations have been alleged.
The subpoenas were reissued after initial delays, with Bill Clinton scheduled for a deposition on January 13 and Hillary for the following day. Both failed to appear, prompting immediate backlash from committee Republicans.
In a letter addressed to House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY), the Clintons’ attorneys described the subpoenas as “invalid” and lacking a legitimate legislative purpose. They further accused Republicans of weaponizing the committee for political gain, which was echoed in a statement from the Clintons themselves.
“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,” the Clintons said in a public statement.
On Wednesday, January 21, the committee voted to advance the resolutions by a wide margin. The final vote on the resolution for Bill Clinton was 34-8, with two members voting present. Nine Democrats joined Republicans in supporting the measure.
The vote for Hillary Clinton was 28-15, with one member voting present. Three Democrats voted in favor alongside Republicans, Politico reported.