Clintons Officially Defy Subpoena to Testify in Jeffrey Epstein Investigation
The Clintons have officially refused to comply and testify in the investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Their attorneys sent a letter to House Oversight Chair James Comer on Jan. 12, 2026, stating that, for the reasons outlined in the letter, the Subpoenas are “invalid and legally unenforceable.” Defying the subpoena puts them at risk of being held in contempt of Congress.
Clintons Refuse to Testify in Epstein Investigation
The news comes as lawmakers pursue testimony tied to the late convicted sex offender Epstein and his convicted co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell, adding new urgency and public interest to the situation. The subpoenas called for closed-door depositions on Capitol Hill; attorneys for the Clintons said their clients had already provided all relevant information and that the committee’s demands lacked a valid legislative purpose.
The dispute arrives amid heightened partisan scrutiny of high-profile figures and follows prior instances in which contempt proceedings led to criminal referrals and, in some cases, jail time. In a letter obtained by POLITICO, House Oversight Chair James Comer said the Clintons’ attorneys told the committee their clients “would not be complying.”
What Happened
Who: Bill Clinton, former president of the United States; Hillary Clinton, former secretary of state; House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, chaired by Rep. James Comer
What: The Clintons refused to appear for scheduled closed-door depositions and declined to comply with subpoenas issued by the committee, stating the Clintons would not comply.
When: The depositions were scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday; the attorneys’ letter was dated Jan. 12, and a separate statement was published Jan. 13.
Where: Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.
Confirmed details: Committee leadership announced plans to schedule a contempt vote for Bill Clinton during the committee’s upcoming markup, and similiar vote could be scheduled for Hillary Clinton if she does not appear. The key people involved in the case are Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, and Rep. James Comer
Reaction to the Subpoena
The reaction from the GOP leadership was immediate and severe. On Wednesday, the House Oversight Committee majority released video footage of legal staff addressing an empty chair—a piece of political theater designed to underscore the absence of the former Secretary of State. Representative Comer, speaking to reporters outside the hearing room where Bill Clinton was meant to testify, expressed palpable frustration with the process. He accused the former president’s legal team of engaging in months of obstructionism.
In a post on X by Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Comer said, “We’ve 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 were going to show up today or not. I think it’s very disappointing.”
Rather than quietly citing legal privilege, the Clintons have opted for a public counter-offensive. This strategy appears aimed at the court of public opinion, attempting to cast the investigation as a waste of taxpayer resources rather than a genuine fact-finding mission.
High-Stakes and Historical Precedent
The charge is a misdemeanor that can result in up to a year in jail and fines of up to $100,000. While such charges are rare, the political climate has shifted significantly in recent years. There is a recent precedent for jail time regarding congressional subpoenas. Two associates of Donald Trump—Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro—were sentenced to prison for refusing to cooperate with the committee investigating the January 6 Capitol attacks.
Republicans may now look to apply that same standard to the Clintons. According to the Oversight Committee’s press release and its post on X, Comer further states, “We will move next week in the House Oversight Committee’s markup to hold former President Clinton in contempt of Congress.” The dispute unfolds against a long history of public conflict between the Clintons and Donald Trump. During the 2016 campaign, “Lock her up” became a frequent chant at Trump rallies.
Now, with the Oversight Committee claiming jurisdiction over the Epstein files, the possibility of criminal referrals to the Justice Department brings those past threats uncomfortably close to reality. As the committee prepares for its vote next week, Washington is bracing for a legal battle that blurs the lines between legislative oversight and political warfare, with two former residents of the White House directly at issue in the dispute
