Clintons refuse to testify in House Epstein probe

Bill and Hillary Clinton refuse to testify in the House Epstein probe, dare committee to hold them in contempt.

In a letter to House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY), former President Bill Clinton and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced they would not be testifying in the committee’s probe into the Epstein case and the government’s handling of accusations against him. The Clintons’ letter of refusal characterized the probe as “a partisan exercise” and the subpoenas as “invalid and legally unenforceable“. The letter also attempt to cast the Clintons’ refusal to testify as “standing up for the country“.

The letter also implied that the Clintons felt the probe was “literally designed to result in our imprisonment”. It continued, “This is not the way out of America’s ills, and we will forcefully defend ourselves.”

The Clintons’ letter practically dared Comer to hold them in contempt for refusing to appear. “We expect you will direct your committee to seek to hold us in contempt,” the Clintons wrote. They added “You will say it is not our decision to make. But we have made it. Now you have to make yours”.

Bill Clinton is known to have been friendly with Jeffrey Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s. Epstein visited the White House at least 17 times while Clinton was President. Following his presidency, Clinton flew on Epstein’s private plane on several occasions. Epstein was also an early financial backer of what later became the Clinton Foundation. The Oversight Committee recently published a photo of Clinton with Epstein and his convicted co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell, as well as singer Jimmy Buffett and his wife.

Bipartisan support

Despite the Clintons’ attempt to paint the probe as partisan politics, the Clintons were only two of several former government officials called to testify, some of whom were Republicans. They include former Attorneys General Alberto Gonzales (who served under President George W. Bush), Jeff Sessions and William Barr (who served in President Trump’s first administration).

Moreover, while the committee is currently led by Republicans, Comer pointed out that the committee’s Democrats also signed off on the subpoenas. “No one’s accusing Bill Clinton of anything, any wrongdoing. We just have questions,” Comer added.

At least one Democrat seemed equally unimpressed with the Clintons’ refusal to testify. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), a fellow Oversight Committee member, led the recent bipartisan push for a bill requiring the Department of Justice to release the Epstein files. Khanna said he had pushed for the committee’s probe to be “transparent” and bipartisan. “If Democrats are implicated, then so be it,” Khanna added.

Comer announced today that he would seek contempt proceedings against Bill Clinton (who was due to testify today) and Hillary Clinton if she does not appear to testify on her scheduled day.

If found guilty of contempt of Congress, the Clintons could potentially face prison time. Former Trump advisor Steve Bannon served 4 months in federal prison for his refusal to testify in the House probe on the January 6 Capitol riot.