Bill Clinton, former President of the United States, and his wife Hillary have refused to testify before the House Oversight Committee, which, at the initiative of Republicans, is investigating the connections of convicted financier Jeffrey Epstein with influential figures. This was reported by the BBC.
Previously, the Oversight Committee issued a formal subpoena to the Clintons requiring their participation in the hearings.
The head of the committee, Republican James Comer, stated that he would begin the process of legal action against Bill Clinton for contempt of Congress next week. If Hillary does not appear to testify on Wednesday, similar measures will be taken against her, Comer noted.
He also mentioned that the Clintons were summoned to testify over four months ago but did not appear. "Throughout this time, the former president and the former secretary of state have evaded answers and ignored attempts by committee staff to establish a date for their appearance," he added in December.
The U.S. Congress has the authority to detain individuals who refuse to testify or provide documents. It can also refer the matter to the Department of Justice to seek accountability for those showing contempt or request a court order to enforce the subpoena.
Contempt of Congress is a criminal offense that carries a fine of up to $100,000 and imprisonment for up to one year.
The Clintons' Opinion
Bill and Hillary Clinton's lawyers stated that the subpoenas issued to them are unenforceable, explaining that the couple has already provided all available information regarding Jeffrey Epstein.
The Clintons claim they refused to testify because they consider these hearings politically motivated. "This is merely an attempt to disgrace political opponents at the behest of President Trump," they believe. In a letter published on platform X, the Clintons expressed confidence that any reasonable person would understand that this is an attempt to punish enemies and protect friends.
"The issue is not about political views, but about what is right and what is wrong," Clinton added in his post.
Victims of Epstein's crimes have never accused Clinton. The former president himself claims he had no knowledge of Epstein's crimes.
Bill Clinton has appeared in many photographs with Epstein, which were released in a dossier by the U.S. Department of Justice. These materials were made public in accordance with a law passed by Congress.
The photos span from the 1990s to the early 2000s, when Epstein had not yet been arrested on charges of sexual exploitation.
In one of the photographs, Clinton is seen in a pool at Epstein's villa.
Clinton's representatives emphasize that he ceased all contact with Epstein before his crimes became known.
However, they acknowledge that Bill Clinton flew on Epstein's private jet four times in 2002 and 2003 and also met with him in New York in 2002, when he also visited the millionaire's apartment.
According to American media, Clinton flew on Epstein's plane over 20 times and sometimes without the accompaniment of Secret Service agents who were supposed to protect him as a former president.
In recent years, members of Congress from both parties have called for more detailed disclosure of Epstein's connections with influential people. They passed a law requiring the disclosure of all materials related to the financier's case by mid-December of last year.
However, the Department of Justice has only released part of the documents, and last week, the bill's authors went to court to request the appointment of a special custodian to compel the government to comply with the law's requirements.
