Could justice finally be coming for the Clinton family?
The House Oversight Committee voted Wednesday to advance criminal contempt of Congress charges against former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
It is the first time a House committee has moved to hold a former president in contempt, and it sets up a potential House vote that could result in prison time for the couple.
The committee voted 34-8 to advance the resolution holding Bill Clinton in contempt, with two members voting present, and 28-15 on the measure holding Hillary Clinton in contempt, with one member voting present. Nine Democrats joined Republicans in voting to advance the Bill Clinton contempt resolution, while three Democrats voted in favor of the Hillary Clinton measure.
The votes came after the Clintons repeatedly refused to comply with Congress’ bipartisan subpoenas requiring them to appear for depositions as part of the investigation into deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“Republicans and Democrats on the House Oversight Committee acted today to hold former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress for willfully defying lawful and bipartisan subpoenas,” House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer said in a statement. “By voting to hold the Clintons in contempt, the Committee sent a clear message: no one is above the law, and justice must be applied equally—regardless of position, pedigree, or prestige.”
The Democrats who voted to advance Bill Clinton’s contempt resolution were Reps. Maxwell Frost of Florida, Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, Summer Lee of Pennsylvania, Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Emily Randall of Washington, Lateefah Simon of California, Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico, and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan. Three Democrats voted to advance Hillary Clinton’s resolution: Lee, Stansbury, and Tlaib.
Lee and Tlaib are members of the socialist “Squad.” Pressley is also a Squad member but only voted to hold Bill Clinton in contempt.
“I’m very happy that we had a bipartisan vote today to hold the Clintons in contempt of Congress, and this shows that no one’s above the law,” Comer said after the vote. “I felt like in my heart, there would be Democrats for it, and I’m very, very proud of the ones who did.”
On July 23, 2025, Republicans and Democrats unanimously approved by voice vote a motion to issue subpoenas to ten individuals, including Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, for testimony related to the crimes perpetrated by pedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein and his madam Ghislaine Maxwell.
Bill Clinton’s deposition was initially requested on October 14, 2025, and then moved to December 17, 2025. Clinton refused to appear. The committee said it would accommodate a new date if he would propose one in January. He again declined. The committee issued a new subpoena with the deposition date set for January 13, 2026, and he failed to appear.
Hillary Clinton was scheduled to appear October 9, 2025, with the date then moved to December 18, 2025. She also declined, citing a funeral. The deposition was rescheduled for January 14, 2026, and she again failed to appear.
Now they face a year in prison and up to a $100,000 fine.
“The committee does not take this action lightly. But subpoenas are not mere suggestions,” Comer said during the hearing. “They carry the force of law and require compliance. Former President Clinton and Secretary Clinton were legally required to appear for depositions before this committee. They refused.”
“No witness—not a former President or a private citizen—may willfully defy a duly issued congressional subpoena without consequence,” Comer said. “But that is what the Clintons did, and that is why we are here today.”
Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the top Democrat on the panel, defended the Clintons and criticized Republicans for focusing on them rather than Attorney General Pam Bondi for the Justice Department’s failure to fully release Epstein documents.
“Where is the pressure to get Pam Bondi to release the files? Instead your focus and the committee’s focus on whoever you perceive to be … your enemies and the enemies of Donald Trump. Because let’s be clear, we want to talk to President Bill Clinton. We want him to answer our questions,” Garcia said.
“We also want Ghislaine Maxwell to answer our questions. We also want to understand why Pam Bondi refuses to release all the files.”
The contempt resolutions against the Clintons will head next to the full House for a vote expected within the next two weeks. If the House votes to hold the Clintons for contempt, it would be up to the Department of Justice whether to prosecute.