Bill and Hillary Clinton Threatened With Contempt of Congress Over Epstein Subpoena Snub

During President Donald J. Trump’s first presidential campaign in 2016, rallies across the country often echoed with chants of “Lock her up!” aimed at then-Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

Nearly a decade later, that slogan appears to be resurfacing in Washington — this time not over classified emails, but over alleged defiance of congressional subpoenas tied to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is now warning that both Bill and Hillary Clinton could face contempt of Congress charges after repeatedly failing to appear for closed-door depositions related to Epstein, the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender with deep ties to powerful elites.

According to Politico, members of the committee say the Clintons are legally required to comply.

“They are obligated under the law to appear and we expect them to do so,” a committee member said via statement.

The warning did not stop there.

“If the Clintons do not appear for their depositions, the House Oversight Committee will initiate contempt of Congress proceedings.”

Contempt of Congress is a rarely used enforcement mechanism, but it carries serious implications — ranging from formal reprimand to potential arrest and detention, depending on how aggressively lawmakers choose to proceed.

The New York Post reported that, if the standoff escalates, Congress could authorize U.S. Capitol Police to physically detain the former president and former secretary of state and compel their appearance before the committee.

The committee’s frustration stems from a pattern of missed appearances. The Clintons were originally scheduled to testify in December, but those depositions never occurred. At their request, the Oversight Committee agreed to reschedule, setting Bill Clinton’s deposition for January 13 and Hillary Clinton’s for January 14 after the couple cited scheduling conflicts.

However, committee members now say the issue has gone beyond logistics.

According to lawmakers, the “Clintons have not confirmed their appearances for their subpoenaed depositions,” raising concerns that they may once again attempt to delay or avoid testimony.

Bill Clinton has consistently denied ever visiting Epstein’s infamous private island, while acknowledging that he regrets having associated with Epstein at all. Still, the ongoing release of documents commonly referred to as the “Epstein files” has continued to raise questions about Clinton’s relationship with the convicted sex offender.

In subpoena letters sent in August 2025, Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer of Kentucky made clear that the panel’s patience had worn thin. In his letter to Bill Clinton, Comer wrote that lawmakers had “unanimously voted to approve a motion directing the Committee to authorize and issue a subpoena to you for a deposition.”

Hillary Clinton received a nearly identical notice.

With President Trump now serving his second term and congressional Republicans signaling a renewed commitment to oversight and accountability, the question remains whether the Clintons will finally comply — or whether Congress is prepared to take enforcement action against one of the most politically connected families in modern American history.