Former President Bill Clinton did not appear Tuesday for his scheduled deposition before the House Oversight Committee, prompting committee leadership to begin the process for contempt of Congress proceedings. The deposition was scheduled as part of a broader congressional investigation related to Jeffrey Epstein and followed bipartisan subpoenas issued to both Bill and Hillary Clinton in August 2025. Hillary Clinton remains scheduled to appear Wednesday, though it is not yet clear whether she will comply.
At 10:07 a.m., committee counsel formally opened the deposition and noted for the record that Clinton was not present. The session included exhibit materials documenting prior correspondence with Clinton’s attorney, David Kendall, who acknowledged receipt of the original subpoena in August. A follow-up letter sent December 15, 2025, by Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer warned that failure to appear could result in contempt proceedings. By 10:10 a.m., Clinton’s chair remained empty.
Chairman Comer addressed the no-show shortly afterward, stating, “It’s a shame President Clinton failed to appear in accordance with our duly authorized congressional subpoena. The Oversight Committee will now initiate contempt of Congress proceedings against the former president for defying the law.” The subpoenas stemmed from a July 2025 vote by the House Oversight Subcommittee on Federal Law Enforcement to expand the Epstein investigation and formally request testimony from additional witnesses. Comer later emphasized that the subpoenas were approved unanimously by the full committee, saying, “This wasn’t something that I just issued as chairman of the committee. This was voted on by the entire committee in a unanimous vote.”
Bill Clinton had previously offered to provide a sworn written statement instead of appearing in person, an option the committee accepted from other former officials, including James Comey and Robert Mueller. Comer, however, said live testimony from the Clintons was necessary. “We just have questions,” he said, underscoring the committee’s interest in direct answers rather than written responses.
In explaining the committee’s rationale, Comer cited Clinton’s past associations with Epstein. “One reason I think most Americans want President Clinton to answer some questions is because Jeffrey Epstein visited the White House 17 times while Bill Clinton was President,” Comer said. He added that Clinton had flown on Epstein’s plane “somewhere around 27 times after the presidency,” while also stating, “No one’s accusing Bill Clinton of anything, any wrongdoing.” Comer nonetheless pointed to the refusal to appear, noting, “But for whatever reason, President Clinton didn’t show up, and the Democrats on the committee don’t seem to have a problem.”
As pressure mounted, Bill and Hillary Clinton issued a joint statement posted to their personal accounts on X, captioned, “This is not about Right or Left, it’s about Right and Wrong.” Comments were disabled on both posts. In the statement, they criticized recent government actions broadly, writing, “This past year has seen our Government engage in unprecedented acts, including against our own citizens.” They added, “People have been seized by masked federal agents from their homes, their workplaces, and the streets of their communities.”
The statement continued with a broader reflection on civic responsibility, saying, “every person has to decide when they have seen or had enough and are ready to fight for this country, its principles and its people, no matter the consequences. For us, now is that time.” While acknowledging the protections afforded by their positions, they wrote, “We are not blind. Every day we see the country we have dedicated our lives to improving take step after step after step backwards.”
The Clintons also criticized the committee’s handling of the Epstein investigation, stating, “You have done nothing with your oversight capacity to force the Department of Justice to follow the law and release all its Epstein files, including any material regarding us as we have publicly called for.” Anticipating contempt proceedings, they said, “This is not the way out of America’s ills, and we will forcefully defend ourselves.” They further argued that the committee prioritized their case over others, writing, “You subpoenaed eight people in addition to us. You dismissed seven of those eight without any of them saying a single word to you. You made no attempt to force them to appear.”
The statement asserted that the subpoenas were “legally invalid” and claimed they had already provided “the same or more than seven of the other eight individuals you subpoenaed regarding the handling of the Epstein investigations and prosecutions.” They suggested this may explain why the committee has “not publicly released their written statements.” The message concluded with a direct challenge: “You will say it is not our decision to make. But we have made it. Now you have to make yours.”
Chairman Comer responded by quote-posting Bill Clinton’s statement on X, writing, “You’re right, President Clinton. This is about right and wrong. Epstein’s survivors deserve justice and answers. Refusing to comply with a bipartisan, duly authorized congressional subpoena in our Epstein investigation is unacceptable. No one is above the law.” The post included photos previously released in Department of Justice files showing Clinton with Epstein, including images with Epstein and two female victims whose identities were redacted.
According to prior public statements from Clinton attorney David Kendall, Hillary Clinton has said she had “no personal knowledge of Epstein or Maxwell’s criminal activities,” and “never flew on his aircraft, never visited his island.” Kendall has also stated that Bill Clinton had not spoken to Epstein in more than twenty years. With Tuesday’s no-show, contempt proceedings are expected to begin next week, and attention is now focused on whether Hillary Clinton will appear for her scheduled deposition on Wednesday, January 14.
