Former US president Bill Clinton and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton have declined to testify in a Republican-led congressional investigation into the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. They called the probe a partisan exercise.
In a letter sent to James Comer, chair of the House Oversight Committee, the Clintons said they had reached a point where they felt compelled to push back. They described the inquiry as politically motivated rather than a genuine effort to uncover facts.
Comer responded by saying the committee will meet next week. The purpose is to consider holding Bill Clinton in contempt of Congress, a step that could lead to criminal proceedings. A committee spokesperson added that contempt proceedings could also be initiated against Hillary Clinton. This would happen if she fails to appear before the panel as requested.
Bill and Hillary Clinton refused to testify in the House’s Jeffrey Epstein investigation, effectively daring Representative James Comer to follow through on his threats to hold them in contempt of Congress. https://t.co/I91intpu5f
— The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) January 13, 2026The Clintons said they had already shared what little information they possessed. They accused Comer of diverting attention from actions taken during the administration of Donald Trump when Epstein died in federal custody in 2019. His death was officially ruled a suicide while he awaited trial on sex-trafficking charges.
They argued that if authorities failed to properly investigate or prosecute Epstein, that issue should be the committee’s primary focus. They said there was no evidence tthat he panel was pursuing that goal and claimed the inquiry served partisan interests instead.
Comer said many Americans want Bill Clinton to answer questions about his past association with Epstein. He noted that Epstein visited the White House multiple times during Clinton’s presidency. Clinton had flown on Epstein’s private aircraft on several occasions.
Clinton has previously expressed regret over the association and said he was unaware of Epstein’s criminal conduct. No evidence has emerged linking him to sex trafficking.
The US Justice Department continues to release documents related to Epstein under a transparency law passed by Congress. In a separate letter, the Clintons’ lawyers argued that the subpoenas were invalid. They claimed the subpoenas were designed to embarrass political opponents rather than advance accountability.
