Chairman Comer: House Oversight Committee to Initiate Contempt of Congress Proceedings Against Former President Clinton for Defying Bipartisan Subpoena

WASHINGTON—Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) today announced that the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform will initiate contempt of Congress proceedings next week against former President Bill Clinton for defying a lawful, bipartisan congressional subpoena approved unanimously by both Republicans and Democrats.

Former President Clinton failed to appear for a scheduled deposition today. In addition, no Democratic members of the Oversight Committee, including Ranking Member Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), attended the deposition.

Following the deposition, Chairman Comer delivered brief remarks criticizing former President Clinton and Oversight Committee Democrats for their failure to appear and confirmed that the Committee will begin contempt of Congress proceedings next week.

Below are excerpts from Chairman Comer’s remarks.

“Bill Clinton did not show up, and I think it’s important to note that this subpoena was voted on in a bipartisan manner by this Committee. This wasn’t something that I just issued as chairman of the Committee. This was voted on by an entire subcommittee in a unanimous vote to subpoena former President Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

[…]

“Not a single Democrat showed up today. Not a single Democrat—the ones who have press conferences on the Capitol steps and talk about how they’re trying to get justice for the victims and all that. It just seems like they only care about questioning Republicans. And we’ve had a former cabinet secretary, [Alex] Acosta, in for a grilling. We had Bill Barr, former attorney general, in for a grilling. But for whatever reason, President Clinton didn’t show up, and the Democrats on the committee don’t seem to have a problem. 

“We communicated with President Clinton’s legal team for months now, giving them opportunity after opportunity to come in, to give us a day, and they continue to delay, delay, delay, to the point where we had no idea whether they’re going to show up today or not. 

[…]

“We will move next week in the House Oversight Committee’s markup to hold former President Clinton in contempt of Congress.”

Background: On July 23, 2025, Republicans and Democrats on the Federal Law Enforcement Subcommittee unanimously approved by voice vote a motion to issue subpoenas to ten individuals, including former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, for testimony related to the horrific crimes perpetrated by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Following the Subcommittee vote, on August 5, 2025, Chairman Comer issued the subpoenas. Former President Clinton’s deposition was initially requested on October 14, 2025, and then moved to December 17, 2025. President Clinton declined this date, citing the need to attend a funeral. The Committee said it would accommodate him if he would propose dates certain in January. He declined. The Committee issued a new subpoena with the deposition date set for January 13, 2026.