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Hillary, Bill Clinton stare down criminal contempt charges after defying House subpoenas in Epstein probe
By Elizabeth Elkind
Published January 14, 2026
Hillary and Bill Clinton are both now risking possible criminal charges after defying subpoenas to appear before the House Oversight Committee.
Hillary Clinton was compelled to sit for a sworn deposition behind closed doors on Wednesday morning as part of the House's bipartisan probe into Jeffrey Epstein.
However, the former secretary of state refused to appear, and the House Oversight Committee will begin contempt of Congress proceedings, a source familiar told Fox News Digital.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., confirmed to reporters Wednesday morning that the Clintons would face punishment.
TOP GOP CHAIR ISSUES STARK WARNING TO CLINTONS IF THEY DEFY DEPOSITIONS IN EPSTEIN INVESTIGATION
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her husband, former U.S. president Bill Clinton. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
"We're going to hold both Clintons in criminal contempt of Congress," Comer said.
"The [Epstein estate] complied with our lawful subpoena. [Former Attorney General Bill Barr and former Trump Labor Secretary Alex Acosta] came in and were deposed because of our lawful subpoenas. This same lawful subpoena was issued to the Clintons, and they defied it," Comer said.
He told Fox News Digital that the committee would begin the contempt process on Wednesday.
Comer also criticized Democrats for not showing up to the scheduled deposition, including the committee's ranking member Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif.
"The question that should be asked of the Democrats on the committee are, do you still support hearing from the Clintons?" Comer posed.
She was expected to skip the meeting after her and former President Bill Clinton's attorneys wrote to House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., arguing the subpoenas were not legally enforceable.
A committee aide said earlier that the committee would initiate contempt of Congress proceedings "in the coming days" if she did not appear. Comer is already moving forward with contempt proceedings against Bill Clinton.
The lawyers' letter argued Comer's subpoenas were "invalid and legally unenforceable, untethered to a valid legislative purpose, unwarranted because they do not seek pertinent information, and an unprecedented infringement on the separation of powers."
HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO SUBPOENA LES WEXNER, 2 OTHERS IN EPSTEIN INVESTIGATION
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., speaks at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 21, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
It also compared Comer's leadership of the probe to Joseph McCarthy's 1950s-era abuse of congressional power, while pointing out that President Donald Trump has publicly called for the federal government to look into Bill Clinton's Epstein ties.
"Mindful of these defects, we trust you will engage in good faith to de-escalate this dispute," the letter said.
Comer told reporters Tuesday that he read the letter but suggested his probe would be undeterred.
The former president similarly skipped his own scheduled deposition on Tuesday, prompting Comer to say his panel would move ahead with advancing a contempt of Congress resolution against him next week.
Such resolutions need to advance through the relevant committees before being considered in a House-wide vote.
HILLARY CLINTON EXPECTED TO DEFY EPSTEIN PROBE SUBPOENA, RISKING CRIMINAL CHARGES
File photo of Jeffrey Epstein in New York City, Feb. 23, 2011. (David McGlynn)
It's then up to the Department of Justice (DOJ) on whether to pursue the resulting criminal referral if a majority of House lawmakers vote to make it.
Contempt of Congress charges are a misdemeanor that carry up to a year in jail and a maximum fine of $100,000.
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Former Trump advisors Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro were notably charged and convicted of contempt of Congress for defying subpoenas by the now-defunct select committee on the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.
The former first couple were two of 10 people subpoenaed by Comer as part of the panel's investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. The subpoenas were issued following a bipartisan vote by an Oversight subcommittee panel during an unrelated hearing on illegal immigration.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/bill-hillary-clinton-risk-criminal-contempt-charges-after-defying-house-subpoenas-epstein-probe