Gary Palmer Votes to Hold Clintons in Contempt
House Oversight Committee votes to hold Bill and Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress for defying subpoenas tied to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on Wednesday voted to hold former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress after both declined to comply with subpoenas as part of the panel’s investigation relating to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The Republican-led committee approved the measure 34-8 to hold Bill Clinton in contempt and 28-15 to hold Hillary Clinton in contempt, with a handful of Democrats joining Republicans on both votes. The resolutions now move toward a full House vote in the coming weeks.
The subpoenas for the Clintons aimed to secure in-person, transcribed testimony as part of the Committee’s broader review of the Epstein case and the federal government’s handling of allegations related to sex trafficking and abuse. Committee leaders said they offered flexibility on scheduling but that neither Clinton agreed to appear.
Representative Gary Palmer (R-AL-6), who voted in favor of advancing the contempt measures, issued a statement reinforcing that no one is above the law. “As Hillary Clinton has said herself, no one is above the law,” Palmer said. “By defying their subpoenas, the Clintons have made it clear that they see themselves as an exception to this concept.”
Palmer noted that the subpoenas stemmed from the Clintons’ relationship with Epstein. “Because of their relationship with Jeffery Epstein, subpoenas were issued to the Clintons to compel them to appear before the Committee to answer questions about the abuse of young women by friends and associates of Epstein,” he said. “There were serious crimes committed against underage girls that the Oversight Committee is committed to investigating and to finding those responsible so they can be held accountable.”
In official remarks, Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) stressed that subpoenas carry the force of law and that the Committee acted in “good faith” in its efforts to secure testimony.
The Clintons’ legal team has argued that the subpoenas were invalid and politically motivated. In a letter to the Committee, the former President and former Secretary of State said the contempt motion was “literally designed to result in our imprisonment,” and contended that the subpoenas lacked legal enforceability.
A full House vote will determine whether the contempt referrals are approved and sent to the Department of Justice for potential prosecution. Contempt of Congress is a rare step and, if prosecuted, carries possible penalties including fines and imprisonment.
