Pelosi Rebukes Democrats Over Contempt Votes For Bill Clinton, Hillary Rodham Clinton

The House Oversight Committee advanced recommendations to find former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in criminal contempt of Congress for defying subpoenas in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, with nine Democrats joining Republicans on the measure against Bill Clinton and three Democrats joining Republicans on the measure against Hillary Rodham Clinton, according to committee records.

If the full House approves the contempt resolutions they would be referred to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia for possible criminal prosecution, which can carry fines and potential incarceration, according to House procedures.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi privately told committee Democrats she was upset they backed the contempt votes because the Clintons were negotiating over the terms of a possible future appearance and urged pausing proceedings until the Justice Department releases all Epstein investigative files, two people in the room said.

House Oversight Chairman Rep. James R. Comer (R-Ky.) said he rejected the Clintons' Jan. 16 and Jan. 19 offers of limited interviews as 'unreasonable' and said he will move the contempt reports out of committee to tee up a full House vote, according to his prepared remarks.

House Democratic leaders told colleagues they hope to resolve negotiations with the Clintons before a floor vote expected in roughly two weeks and warned that Speaker Mike Johnson would need to limit Republican defections to secure passage, officials said.