Comer Says Clintons’ Tactics Avoiding Epstein Subpoenas Could Bring Contempt Charges

Republican Rep. James Comer of Kentucky in a Friday evening press release threatened former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton with contempt charges.

The House Oversight Committee subpoenaed the Clintons in August, initially seeking depositions on Oct. 14 for the former president and Oct. 9 for the former first lady regarding their involvement with registered sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Comer said if the Clintons didn’t appear for depositions scheduled for Dec. 17 and 18 or arrange to appear for questioning in early January then contempt charges would be pursued.

“It has been more than four months since Bill and Hillary Clinton were subpoenaed to sit for depositions related to our investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s horrific crimes,” Comer said in the Friday release. “Throughout that time, the former President and former Secretary of State have delayed, obstructed, and largely ignored the Committee staff’s efforts to schedule their testimony. If the Clintons fail to appear for their depositions next week or schedule a date for early January, the Oversight Committee will begin contempt of Congress proceedings to hold them accountable.”

Photos released by Oversight Committee Democrats showed Epstein with prominent figures, including President Donald Trump, former President Clinton, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and former Trump administration official Steve Bannon.

The disgraced financier apparently committed suicide in his Manhattan jail cell while awaiting trial after he was arrested in 2019. Even after he became a convicted sex offender, Epstein still had extensive ties to celebrities, politicians, and executives, including L Brands founder Les Wexner,  Prince Andrew and director Woody Allen.

Democrats have sought to tar Trump over his past friendship with Epstein. Virginia Giuffre — one of Epstein’s most prominent victims — did not accuse Trump of misconduct in her posthumous memoir released after she committed suicide. Attorney Bradley Edwards, who represented some of Epstein’s victims, described Trump as someone who aided the attorney’s efforts in a 2018 video.

“[Trump] was very helpful in the information that he gave and gave no indication whatsoever that he was involved in anything untoward whatsoever,” Edwards said.