A day after announcing the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform would initiate contempt of Congress proceedings against former President Bill Clinton, Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., on Wednesday said the same will be done against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Comer said the committee would seek to hold Hillary Clinton in contempt after she failed to appear for a scheduled deposition tied to the panel's investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, NBC News reported.
The move follows Comer's announcement Tuesday that the committee would also pursue contempt against Bill Clinton for failing to appear for his deposition.
The Republican-led committee subpoenaed both Clintons last year and their originally scheduled appearances were pushed back before being reset for mid-January.
Comer has framed the dispute as a test of whether powerful political figures will comply with lawful oversight the same way ordinary Americans are expected to comply with court orders and subpoenas.
In a committee press release about Bill Clinton's missed deposition, Comer said the subpoenas were approved in a bipartisan manner and argued Democrats on the panel undermined their own rhetoric about seeking justice for victims by failing to attend.
The Clintons, however, are digging in.
In a joint letter dated Jan. 13, the former president and former first lady told Comer they believe the subpoenas are "legally invalid" and said they do not plan to appear for depositions.
They accused the committee of partisan politics, claimed Comer's priorities have "prevented progress" in discovering facts, and insisted they have provided the limited information they have.
"For us, now is that time," the Clintons wrote, portraying their refusal as a stand against government overreach and warning they will "forcefully defend" themselves.
Comer's office says the record shows delay, not cooperation.
The Oversight Committee said the Clintons postponed earlier dates and did not offer acceptable alternatives, prompting the committee to reset the depositions and warn that contempt could follow.
The fight is unfolding as public pressure continues to build for transparency in the broader Epstein case.
The Clintons described the probe as politically motivated, while Comer argued the public deserves answers about Epstein's influence network and how institutions handled the case.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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