A long-simmering standoff between congressional investigators and two of the most recognizable names in Democratic politics is now headed for a January showdown.
According to Fox News, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., has postponed the depositions of Bill and Hillary Clinton but made clear that the delay comes with a hard deadline — and consequences if it is ignored.
In a letter sent Monday evening to the Clintons’ attorney, Comer warned that failure to appear on newly scheduled dates would trigger immediate contempt of Congress proceedings.
The former president and former secretary of state were originally subpoenaed over the summer as part of the committee’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and his network of powerful associates. The probe has involved closed-door depositions with a wide range of former government officials.
Comer said scheduling conflicts were cited by the Clintons’ legal team, including a funeral that conflicted with one proposed date.
“They’re saying now that he’s going to a funeral on that day, so we’ve been going back and forth with the lawyer,” Comer told Fox News Digital. “We’re going to hold him in contempt if he doesn’t show up for his deposition.”
According to Comer’s letter, the committee grew frustrated after the Clintons’ attorney failed to suggest alternative dates.
“Therefore, the Committee has chosen the date of January 13, 2026, for the deposition of President Clinton and January 14, 2026, for the deposition of Secretary Clinton,” the letter stated. “If your clients do not comply with these new dates, the Committee will move immediately to contempt proceedings.”
So far, only two witnesses — former Trump administration Attorney General Bill Barr and former Labor Secretary Alex Acosta — have appeared in person before the committee. Others have either postponed their appearances or submitted written statements due to health or personal issues.
Comer has signaled that the Clintons will not be afforded that flexibility.
In sharply worded language, the chairman criticized the Clintons’ attorney for repeatedly arguing that his clients deserved the same treatment as other witnesses.
“Your correspondence with the Committee continues to ignore the Committee’s arguments, misstates relevant facts, and seeks information about the Committee’s investigation to which neither you nor your clients are entitled,” Comer wrote.
He added that the committee had excused others only because they “lacked any relevant information” or faced serious health issues, circumstances he said did not apply to the Clintons.
“President Clinton and Secretary Clinton are not similarly situated,” Comer wrote, calling claims of unfair treatment “baseless.”
The letter pointed specifically to the Clintons’ past relationship with Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
“For example, unlike these other individuals, President Clinton and Secretary Clinton had a personal relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell,” Comer wrote.
The committee has released photos and documents showing Epstein socializing with numerous high-profile figures, including President Donald Trump. Both Trump and Bill Clinton were found to have handwritten messages in a book prepared for Epstein’s 50th birthday.
Despite the scrutiny, neither Bill nor Hillary Clinton has been accused of wrongdoing related to Epstein. Their interactions with him appear to have ended years before his 2019 federal sex trafficking indictment and subsequent death.
Still, Comer has made clear that questions remain — and that January will be the moment he expects answers.
