Democrats on the House Oversight Committee are signaling they may support a Republican effort to hold former President Bill Clinton in contempt of Congress after he failed to appear for a scheduled deposition Tuesday. While some Democrats are uneasy about what they describe as a highly partisan push by Republicans, others say they do not want to appear as though they are protecting Clinton while GOP lawmakers continue to defend President Trump.
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Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida said Democrats want anyone with relevant information to cooperate with the committee. He noted that his party is waiting to review the final language of the contempt resolution but acknowledged that Democratic support is possible. “We want everyone to come in if they know something,” Frost said, adding that there is “definitely a chance” Democrats vote in favor of contempt.
The dispute is rooted in the committee’s investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were subpoenaed alongside several former attorneys general and FBI directors. Hillary Clinton is scheduled to testify Wednesday, though attorneys for the Clintons argue the subpoenas are invalid and unenforceable.
After Bill Clinton failed to appear, Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., said the panel will move next week to hold him in contempt of Congress. Comer accused Clinton’s legal team of months-long delays and said lawmakers were left uncertain whether the former president would comply. Clinton’s spokesperson has countered that he offered to submit a sworn written statement, which the committee declined.
Democrats have accused Comer of selectively enforcing subpoenas, noting that some former attorneys general were allowed to submit written responses instead of testifying in person. Several Democrats argued the committee should also subpoena Attorney General Pam Bondi over the Justice Department’s failure to release all Epstein-related documents by a December deadline, while others suggested holding Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell in contempt for refusing to testify without immunity.
While many Democrats say accountability should apply to anyone involved in wrongdoing, not all agree with pursuing contempt against the Clintons. Rep. Ro Khanna of California said he opposes holding either Bill or Hillary Clinton in contempt, arguing the committee should instead focus on cooperation and broader transparency. Khanna said the priority should be enforcing document releases rather than escalating partisan confrontations.[/read]