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Bill and Hilary Clinton refuse to testify in Epstein probe as Republicans threaten contempt charges (lemmy.world)

submitted 5 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago) by Substance_P@lemmy.world to c/politics@lemmy.world

14 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Congressional Republicans are threatening to hold Bill and Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress after the Democratic former president and presidential candidate refused to testify in a GOP-led House probe into Jeffrey Epstein.

A blistering letter from the Clintons to House Oversight Committee chair James Comer states that “every person has to decide when they have seen or had enough and are ready to fight for this country, its principles and its people, no matter the consequences.”

top 14 comments

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[–] Substance_P@lemmy.world 33 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

Here’s why the Clintons say they won’t testify.

They just told James Comer to go ahead and hold them in contempt - they’ll wait. Their letter, dated today, is four pages of “we see exactly what you’re doing.” The Clintons point out that Comer subpoenaed eight people in his Epstein investigation, dismissed seven without a word, and has interviewed a grand total of two witnesses. Two.

They’ve got lawyers saying his subpoenas are legally invalid, and they’re calling out the obvious: Comer said nothing when Trump took the exact same position three years ago. The Epstein files only came out because four Republicans broke ranks to force a vote. Comer wasn’t one of them. He won’t subpoena the Attorney General to make DOJ comply with the law Congress passed. But he’s ready to bring the whole chamber to a halt for contempt charges against the Clintons.

The threat is barely veiled.

They’re prepared to take this public, make their case to all 45 committee members, and frame the whole thing as Comer protecting his friends while punishing his enemies. They’re basically saying: if you want to grind Congress to a standstill over us instead of passing laws, that works too - we’ll call it our contribution to slowing down the Republican agenda. The letter ends with the kind of line you write when you want it quoted: “Continue to abet the dismantling of America, and you will learn that it takes more than a wrecking ball to demolish what Americans have built over 250 years.”

Rachael Hurley -

[–] Eldritch@piefed.world 6 points 2 hours ago

Yep, it's an unserious partisan witch hunt. He's already called their bluff and told them to release all the Epstein files. Which they've refused to do. Then rather than start with seriously implicated people (trump). They're all like hey Bill, GOP fishing expedition? For old times sake. (This isn't Bill's first one of those)

Bill may be a philandering sexual predator and tool of the petite bourgeoisie. Who happily associated with truly horrible people. (Trump and Epstein) But he's not braindead. And 💯% making the right call as long as these partisan little shits refuse to be transparent with the files.

[–] Jyek@sh.itjust.works 5 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago) (2 children)

5A? You cannot be compelled to testify against yourself nor can you be compelled to testify to anything that might incriminate you. Even if you are innocent, you cannot be forced to testify.

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 7 points 4 hours ago

You still have to show up and sit there...

You can't just text "5a bro" and get out of it.

Like, it's on a question by question basis, and he could pull a Lil Woody, but he still has to show up and say "I plead the fifth" everytime they ask a question.

Lil Woody at Young Thug trial:

https://youtu.be/3xpwZfeZMMo?t=37

[–] FiniteBanjo@feddit.online 3 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago) (1 children)

Rather than the fifth amendment I don't think they can bring in witnesses without any proven connection to the crimes? Bill Clinton might have been in the same room as Trump and Epstein a couple of times, but if they have something more concrete in the Epstein files they certainly have not released such.

[–] LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world 1 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago) (1 children)

It's congress as well, they can only call witnesses or documentation for purposes of reviewing/updating/creating legislation. So it is only even a valid summons if they are saying they want to create legislation that investigates the executive branch members and their connections to root out corruption. Thus it would make more sense to summon Trump and Bannon as well for their current ties to the executive branch, rather than Bill, who has not been a member of executive branch for 25 years.

Congress writes legislation, it doesn't judiciate anything.

[–] DomeGuy@lemmy.world 1 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

Congress does have a huge investigative role when it comes to anyone who holds a constitutional office, though. And that role's actually gotten bigger since the "POTUS Immunity" and "14th needs a law" bullshit from 2024.

The rules that apply to Clinton equally apply to W, Obama, Biden, and ****face..

[–] LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world 1 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

You need to change the term holds to held for your argument to work. Also impeaching/removing someone from an office they left 25 years ago clearly doesn't make sense, so the investigation could only be to update legislation or it is invalid.

Even the article stated that majority of these people who have been summoned were deemed invalid

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 3 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

“every person has to decide when they have seen or had enough and are ready to fight for this country, its principles and its people, no matter the consequences.”

And for Bill, that's being investigated personally.

He ain't standing up for us, they're demanding we stand up for them.

If either of them are guilty, and it looks like Bill is, then he should face investigation then prosecution if enough is uncovered.

[–] DacoTaco@lemmy.world 7 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

And he was open to talk about it, but he will not play the game of having it all be pinned on just him. Thats the message i got out of previous statements and now this

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world -1 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

And he was open to talk about it

Suuuuuuure he was lil buddy, sure he was

[–] Eldritch@piefed.world 5 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

I know you are unserious and not worth responding to individually. But for those reading in ernest.

Clinton called for the full release of the Epstein files. Something the people wanting to depose him have been cleared to do. But refused. Instead of choosing to actually look at seriously implicated persons. (Trump, Bannon etc) They're falling back on their main crutch of the last 40 years. Attack and smear the Clinton's. The GOP's greatest hits. Bill should be no ones hero. And bears a genuinely huge responsibility himself for how enshitified and degraded things have gotten. But he's absolutely correct not to play GOP Calvin ball.

[–] DacoTaco@lemmy.world 3 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

Ding ding ding, exactly what i had in mind

[–] Eldritch@piefed.world 3 points 30 minutes ago

Yes, Bill Clinton is by no means a good person. But I would legitimately have a lower opinion of him if he let himself get played voluntarily like that. Especially by such a lawless administration.