By Nolan D. McCaskill
WASHINGTON, Jan 21 (Reuters) – A Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives panel on Wednesday recommended former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton be found in contempt of Congress for refusing to testify about ties to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which could lead to criminal charges.
The two prominent Democrats have offered to cooperate with the House Oversight Committee but have refused to appear in person before the panel, saying its investigation is a partisan exercise aimed at protecting Republican President Donald Trump.
The committee voted to hold Bill Clinton in contempt in a 34-8 vote and Hillary Clinton in contempt in a 28-15 vote. All 25 Republicans backed the contempt measures.
The votes set up House votes to refer the cases to the Justice Department for possible prosecution. A simple majority is required for the proposals to pass the House, where Republicans hold a 218-213 majority. Contempt of Congress is a misdemeanor charge that carries up to a year in jail and $100,000 in fines.
The resolutions approved by the committee say the Clintons’ refusal to comply with subpoenas after five months of negotiations “substantially interfered” with the oversight probe and that neither offered “valid legal justification.”
Bill Clinton was willing to testify under oath at his New York office, the New York Times reported, but House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, rejected that offer.
Trump and Epstein were friends during the 1990s and early 2000s, but Trump says he broke off ties before Epstein pleaded guilty to prostitution charges.
Bill Clinton flew on Epstein’s plane several times in the early 2000s after leaving office. He has expressed regret about the relationship and said he knew nothing about Epstein’s criminal activity.
Trump and Hillary Clinton were bitter rivals in the 2016 presidential election, when she was the Democratic nominee and chants of “lock her up” were a staple of Trump campaign rallies.
(Reporting by Nolan D. McCaskill; Editing by Andy Sullivan and Bill Berkrot)
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