Former US President Bill Clinton has declined to appear before a congressional committee investigating his ties to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The 79-year-old did not attend a scheduled hearing on Tuesday, according to House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer. Similarly, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has also refused to testify, as stated in a letter from their lawyers published by The New York Times. The Republican-led committee had summoned the Clintons to appear this week.
Their legal counsel contends that both have already provided all relevant information “proactively and voluntarily”. Chairman Comer has threatened to initiate contempt of Congress proceedings for their non-appearance, with a committee vote possible next week. Such a charge could result in a fine or, in theory, a prison sentence.
The demand for testimony follows accusations from US President Donald Trump, who has alleged Bill Clinton was far more involved with Epstein than he was and called for an investigation. Comer has separately accused Clinton of taking four trips on Epstein’s private jet between 2002 and 2003 and of receiving a “massage” from an Epstein victim on at least one occasion.
While the names of both Clinton and Trump – along with numerous other public figures – have appeared in recently unsealed Epstein-related documents, no personal wrongdoing has been substantiated against either of them.
The Epstein scandal has been a persistent issue for President Trump. The late financier, a well-connected millionaire, was accused of sexually abusing numerous women and girls and of trafficking some to powerful and famous associates.
Epstein maintained a friendship with Trump for years. He was first convicted in 2008 for soliciting a minor for prostitution but received a controversial 18-month sentence in a plea deal.
In 2019, he was arrested on new federal charges for sex trafficking minors. Approximately one month later, Epstein was found dead in his cell at a Manhattan federal detention center. The New York City medical examiner ruled the death a suicide.
