House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) said he rejected what he described as an unacceptable proposal from representatives of former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton related to the committee’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. The dispute centers on how, and under what conditions, the former president and former secretary of state would provide testimony to Congress.
In a post on X, Comer said the “latest demands” by the Clintons “make clear they believe their last name entitles them to special treatment.” He also criticized former President Bill Clinton for having “a documented history of parsing language to evade questions.” Comer explained that the proposal was made as the committee weighed possible contempt proceedings tied to the Clintons’ failure to comply with subpoenas.
“Facing contempt of Congress, the Clintons’ lawyers made an untenable offer: that I travel to New York for a conversation with President Clinton only,” Comer said. “No official transcript would be recorded and other Members of Congress would be barred from participating. I have rejected the Clintons’ ridiculous offer.”
Comer emphasized that the committee’s subpoenas require formal depositions conducted under oath and preserved through official transcripts, a process commonly used in congressional investigations to ensure accuracy and accountability. “The Clintons’ latest demands make clear they believe their last name entitles them to special treatment,” he added. “The House Oversight Committee’s bipartisan subpoenas require the Clintons to appear for depositions that are under oath and transcribed. Former President Clinton has a documented history of parsing language to evade questions, responded falsely under oath, and was impeached and suspended from the practice of law as a result.”
In a longer statement included in his post, Comer underscored the importance of maintaining a formal record. “The absence of an official transcript is an indefensible demand that is insulting to the American people who demand answers about Epstein’s crimes,” he wrote. He noted that the committee has already released transcripts of interviews with former U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr and former U.S. Secretary of Labor Alex Acosta, describing those releases as steps that “has provided much needed transparency to the public.” Comer added, “Without a formal record, Americans would be left to rely on competing accounts of what was said.”
Comer also addressed why the committee is seeking testimony from Hillary Clinton, stating that “Former Secretary Clinton’s on-the-record testimony is necessary for the Committee’s investigation given her knowledge from her time as Secretary of State of the federal government’s work to counter international sex-tracking rings, her personal knowledge of Ms. Maxwell, and her family’s relationship with Mr. Epstein.” He concluded his statement by noting, “Contempt proceedings begin tomorrow.”
The investigation into Epstein, who died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, has prompted renewed scrutiny of past government actions and relationships involving high-profile figures. Congressional investigators have said the goal is to clarify what federal officials knew, how decisions were made, and whether existing laws and oversight mechanisms were properly applied.
Breitbart News’s Sean Moran previously reported that Comer had stated he would move to hold former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton “in contempt of Congress over her failure to appear for a deposition” related to the Epstein investigation. The committee has also been reported to be considering “a resolution” to hold former President Bill Clinton in contempt after he “also did not appear for” a scheduled deposition.
The next steps in the process will depend on how the House proceeds with potential contempt resolutions and whether the former officials ultimately comply with the subpoenas as issued.
