Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) told reporters on Wednesday that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was not &#8220;100% truthful&#8221; about his past relationship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Lutnick arrived on Capitol Hill Wednesday morning for a closed-door deposition before the Oversight Committee to answer questions on his relationship with Epstein. Before the deposition began, Comer took questions from reporters and said the Commerce secretary has not been fully honest in some of his past statements on Epstein.
Lutnick claimed last year that he vowed never to go near Epstein after a strange encounter with the financier in 2005. Photos released by the Justice Department in its trove of Epstein documents, however, show Lutnick with the disgraced financier on his infamous private island in 2012 — four years after Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution.
&#8220;We&#8217;ll let the American people judge whether the credibility was damaged,&#8221; Comer <a href="https://x.com/cspan/status/2052041254582497381">said</a> before the Oversight Committee hearing began. &#8220;But at the end of the day, I haven&#8217;t seen wrongdoing in the email correspondence. But he wasn&#8217;t 100% truthful with whether or not he had been on the island.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1053025" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1053025" class="wp-image-1053025 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Untitled-design-2026-03-03T151929.602-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Untitled-design-2026-03-03T151929.602-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Untitled-design-2026-03-03T151929.602-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Untitled-design-2026-03-03T151929.602-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Untitled-design-2026-03-03T151929.602.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Credit: Justice Department</div>
Comer added that the Oversight Committee would ask Lutnick more questions about his visit to Little Saint James.
&#8220;We haven&#8217;t talked to too many people that have admitted they&#8217;ve been on the island,&#8221; he <a href="https://x.com/cspan/status/2052041606396563913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2052041606396563913%7Ctwgr%5Eaf21514ed8f52cc35fd510d98c61f2c482bcb7a4%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mediaite.com%2Fmedia%2Fnews%2Fjames-comer-hits-lutnick-ahead-of-epstein-testimony-he-wasnt-100-truthful-about-island-visit%2F">said</a>. &#8220;It&#8217;s my understanding he wasn&#8217;t on the island very long. He was there with his wife and kids, but we&#8217;ll see what he says.&#8221;
The Oversight Committee chairman promised to release the full transcript of Lutnick&#8217;s deposition in the coming days.
During a Senate hearing in February, Lutnick <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-cabinet-secretary-confirms-he-visited-epsteins-island-with-wife-and-children-in-2012">confirmed</a> he visited Epstein&#8217;s Little Saint James Island and said he was accompanied by his wife and four children, as well as another couple and their children. Lutnick told senators that he had lunch with Epstein on his island for around an hour while he was on vacation with his family. He has not been accused of any wrongdoing related to Epstein&#8217;s sex crimes.
The Commerce secretary has been ripped by Democrats and some Republicans who expressed concern about his previous storyline.
“It’s now clear that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has been lying about his relationship with Epstein. He said he had no interactions with Epstein after 2005, yet we now know they were in business together. Lutnick must resign or be fired. And he must answer our questions,” Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the ranking Democratic member on the House Oversight Committee, said in February.
Lutnick is the first Trump administration official to be questioned under oath before the Oversight Committee on the Epstein investigation. The Commerce secretary went in for a closed-door deposition voluntarily.
&#8220;I&#8217;ve been on the Oversight Committee 10 years, and there&#8217;s never been a chairman [who has brought] in Cabinet secretaries of their own party,&#8221; Comer added.
Former U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi is also slated to appear before the committee for questioning on the Epstein case in the coming weeks. Bondi was fired as attorney general in early April as President Donald Trump was frustrated with the lack of criminal prosecutions of Democrats who committed lawfare against him. Bondi also faced scrutiny over how she handled the Epstein investigation.

Howard Lutnick

House Oversight Chair Says Lutnick ‘Wasn’t 100% Truthful’ About Epstein Ahead Of Hearing

Department of Justice

House Oversight Committee

James Comer

Jeffrey Epstein

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) said on Wednesday that some lawmakers on the committee are in favor of a pardon for Jeffrey Epstein&#8217;s associate Ghislaine Maxwell in exchange for Maxwell answering questions on her and Epstein&#8217;s sex trafficking scheme.
Maxwell appeared for a virtual deposition before the committee in February, but she <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ghislaine-maxwell-will-only-testify-on-epstein-if-trump-gives-her-what-she-wants-lawyer-says?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Ghislaine+Maxwell+Will+Only+Testify+On+Epstein+If+Trump+Gives+Her+What+She+Wants%2C+Lawyer+Says">pled</a> the Fifth Amendment and said she would only testify on Epstein&#8217;s crimes if she was granted clemency. Maxwell&#8217;s demand has caused some debate in the Oversight Committee over a potential pardon, which would have to be granted by President Donald Trump.
“My committee’s split on that,” Comer told <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/04/22/congress/to-pardon-maxwell-or-not-00887823?nname=playbook&amp;nid=0000014f-1646-d88f-a1cf-5f46b7bd0000&amp;nrid=5c65d8fa-b7c7-44e5-98d0-43e6086e71cd">POLITICO</a>. “I don’t speak for my committee.”
He did not name any of his colleagues who have voiced support for pardoning Maxwell, but he clarified that he is not on the side of lawmakers who want Trump to offer her the deal.
&#8220;I think it looks bad. Honestly, other than Epstein, the worst person in this whole investigation is Maxwell,&#8221; he said.
The lawmakers who support a pardon for the convicted sex trafficker appear to be on the Republican side of the aisle. Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, said that Democrats are united in their opposition to a pardon for Maxwell.
“That would be a huge step backwards, and, quite frankly, so disrespectful to the survivors. She is a known abuser. She is a known liar,&#8221; Garcia said. “If the DOJ or Oversight Republicans are out there trying to negotiate some sort of pardon that is … not only a huge slap in the face to this investigation, to anyone, to the American public, it&#8217;s a part of a massive cover up.”
Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for helping Epstein acquire underage girls for sex, has been pushing for a pardon from Trump for nearly a year. The president was <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5541645-maxwell-pardon-trump-review/">asked</a> last October if he was considering a pardon for Maxwell and said he wasn&#8217;t aware that she had requested clemency. Trump added that he would &#8220;take a look at it&#8221; and &#8220;speak to the DOJ.&#8221;
After Maxwell refused to answer questions before the Oversight Committee in February, Trump was asked again if he would consider a pardon for her.
&#8220;It&#8217;s something I haven&#8217;t thought about,&#8221; he said again. &#8220;I&#8217;m allowed to do it, but it&#8217;s something I have not thought about.&#8221;
Last week, Maxwell&#8217;s lawyer, David Markus, told POLITICO that he remains optimistic that Maxwell will receive a pardon.
“I don’t know what the percentages are,” he said. “There’s a good chance and for good reason that she would get a pardon.”
Markus added that he has not yet spoken directly with the administration about Maxwell&#8217;s request.
&#8220;I don’t think now is the best time to do it, with everything going on,” he said, referring to the ongoing backlash to the Trump administration&#8217;s handling of the Epstein investigation. “We’re not on a full court press right now.”
The Oversight Committee, which has been conducting its own probe of the Epstein case, has interviewed multiple high-profile people connected to the convicted pedophile. Last month, former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were grilled by the committee over their relationship with Epstein.
The Oversight Committee plans to interview Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates in the coming weeks.

House Republicans/Ghislaine Maxwell

Behind Closed Doors, Some Top Republicans Want A Ghislaine Maxwell Pardon

Congress

Ghislaine Maxwell

Politics

U.S.

House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-KY) said Sunday that “something sinister” might be happening as officials probe a rash of disappearances and deaths of former top scientists who reportedly worked with classified information.
Comer said he would bring in leaders of the agencies where the scientists worked for questioning about the matter. His comments come after the White House said last week it would be probing the strange cases and President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-scientists-are-turning-up-dead-or-missing-now-the-white-house-is-stepping-in">said</a> he hoped the disappearances were &#8220;random.&#8221;
&#8220;We&#8217;ve put a notice out to the Department of War, to the FBI, to NASA, to the Department of Energy, that we want to know everything that they know about what happened with these scientists because those four agencies were predominantly the agencies that those 11 individuals were affiliated with. And we want to try to piece this together,” Comer <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/comer-warns-something-sinister-may-behind-deaths-disappearances-11-nuclear-space-linked-scientists">told</a> Fox News on Sunday.
&#8220;We know there are many countries around the world that would love to have our knowledge and nuclear capabilities. And these are the people that were at the forefront of it, and they&#8217;re either dead or missing,” he added.
A few of the strange cases include the disappearance of NASA scientist Monica Jacinto Reza, who <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/21/us-news/rocket-scientist-with-professional-ties-to-missing-gen-william-mccasland-disappeared-under-similar-circumstances/">went missing</a> during a hike in June 2025; astrophysicist Carl Grillmair, who <a href="https://abc7.com/post/man-charged-killing-caltech-astrophysicist-carl-grillmair-llano-carjacking-own-relative-burglarizing-home/18626990/">was shot</a> on his front porch in February; Massachusetts Institute of Technology physicist Nuno Loureiro, who <a href="https://news.mit.edu/2025/nuno-loureiro-professor-director-plasma-science-and-fusion-center-dies-1216">was shot</a> and killed in his home in December 2025; and Air Force Maj. Gen. William McCasland, who <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/missing-general-scientist-deaths-tied-secret-us-work-prompt-white-house-probe">went missing</a> from his Albuquerque, New Mexico, home in March.
The investigation into the deaths and disappearances is being led by the FBI.
“These missing and killed scientists and former professional members of the Department of Energy vary [widely], and we&#8217;re working most importantly with our state and local partners who have the jurisdiction on each of these cases, whether they be a homicide or a missing person&#8217;s case, they have the evidence. What we&#8217;re going to do is collectively pull it all into one place,&#8221; FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News on Sunday.
Patel said that the investigation was focusing on whether there were any connections to classified information or foreign actors.
Other examples of strange circumstances involving the scientists include the disappearance of Kansas City National Security Campus government contractor Steven Garcia in Albuquerque in 2025, allegedly with a handgun, and the discovery of pharmaceutical scientist Jason Thomas at the bottom of a Massachusetts pond after he went missing three months ago.

Scientists

11 Scientists. Multiple Deaths. One Question No One Can Answer — Coincidence Or Something Darker?

Crime

kash patel

Nuclear

scientists

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) said on Tuesday night that the committee plans to question the former corrections officer who searched for information about pedophile Jeffrey Epstein less than an hour before he was found dead in his New York City jail cell on August 10, 2019.
The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/07/us-news/prison-guard-googled-jeffrey-epstein-minutes-before-his-body-was-found-and-deposited-thousands-days-before-pedophiles-suicide-doj/">reported</a> last Saturday that former Metropolitan Correctional Center guard Tova Noel googled &#8220;latest on Epstein in jail&#8221; at 5:42 a.m. and again at 5:52 a.m. before Epstein was found dead at 6:30 a.m., according to FBI records. Chase Bank also flagged numerous &#8220;suspicious&#8221; deposits into Noel&#8217;s bank account between April of 2018 and November of 2019, with the largest deposit of $5,000 coming on July 30, 2019, according to the Post, which reviewed DOJ documents.
Noel will now be asked to appear before the committee for an interview, Comer <a href="https://x.com/JesseBWatters/status/2031535459940155536">told</a> Fox News host Jesse Watters.
&#8220;The recent media reports &#8230; [are] very concerning, especially the suspicious activity report on a $5,000 mysterious deposit that she had,&#8221; Comer told Watters. &#8220;And the reason that stands out to me, Jesse, is because very seldom are suspicious activity reports even reported for sums less than $10,000.&#8221;
Noel, who was also accused of falsifying guard shift records the night before Epstein was found dead, is believed to be the last corrections officer to see Epstein alive.
&#8220;So because of this, because of the media reports and because of the fact that, honestly, most people on the committee aren&#8217;t confident 100% that Epstein&#8217;s death was by suicide, we&#8217;re going to ask Ms. Noel to come in for a transcribed interview,&#8221; Comer said. &#8220;Again, no one is accusing her of any wrongdoing, but we have a lot of questions about Epstein.&#8221;
Noel is also believed to be the mysterious blur that was <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jeffrey-epstein-jail-video-investigation/">caught on camera</a> moving near Epstein&#8217;s cell with orange linen the night before he died, according to the Justice Department. Epstein apparently killed himself using extra linen that was in his cell. Noel reportedly told investigators that she &#8220;never gave out linen&#8221; to inmates, since that was always done during the previous shift. She also denied googling Epstein shortly before he was found dead.
DOJ investigators interviewed Noel following Epstein&#8217;s apparent suicide, and her lawyers said she did not have any part in Epstein&#8217;s death. The Justice Department did not ask Noel about the numerous cash deposits that were flagged by Chase as &#8220;suspicious activity,&#8221; the Post reported.
Noel and her fellow guard, Michael Thomas, were accused of falling asleep on the job and admitted to falsifying their reports to cover up for missing checks on Epstein, which they were supposed to conduct every 30 minutes.
Noel and Thomas were arrested and charged in November of 2019, but a federal judge later <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/03/us/jeffrey-epstein-officers-dismissed-charges-judge">dismissed</a> the charges after prosecutors struck a deal in exchange for &#8220;truthful information related to their employment by the Bureau of Prisons.&#8221;

Tova Noel/Jeffrey Epstein

Guard Who Googled Epstein Right Before His Death Now In The Spotlight

House Oversight Committee To Question Guard Who Googled Epstein Just Before He Was Found Dead

Epstein Files

Republican lawmakers repeatedly pushed Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz on Wednesday over his handling of the Feeding Our Future scandal, which federal prosecutors have described as the nation’s largest COVID scam, involving $250 million for meals supposedly going to the hungry. 
Appearing before the House Oversight Committee, Walz and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison faced questions about <a href="https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/The-Cost-of-Doing-Nothing_How-Tim-Walz-and-Keith-Ellison-Fueled-Minnesotas-Fraud-Explosion_3.4.26_FINAL.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">findings</a> cited by Republicans that more than $9 billion in social service fraud has occurred under their watch. Both Democrats have claimed they took appropriate actions to combat and root out fraud. 
“For years, Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison presided over one of the most extensive breakdowns of oversight this committee has ever examined. Billions of taxpayer dollars were stolen from social service programs while warnings piled up, whistleblowers spoke out, and state officials chose delay and denial over action,” Oversight Chair James Comer (R-KY) said. “Federal prosecutors estimate that as much as $9 billion may have been stolen from just 14 Medicaid programs administered by the state of Minnesota.”
The suspected fraud made up about half of the $18 billion distributed through the programs since 2018, Comer said. One notable example of fraud was the Feeding Our Future scam, in which fraudsters, some of whom were Somali nationals, billed the government for $250 million in meals that were never distributed. 
During the hearing, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) pressed Walz on why payments to Feeding Our Future resumed just one month after the Minnesota Department of Education suspended them over suspected irregularities. 
Walz said they restarted because the agency said that the “court had required them to make those payments.”
Jordan then pointed to a <a href="https://mncourts.gov/about-the-courts/newsandannouncements/feeding-our-future-v-minnesota-department-of-education-correcting-media-reports-and-statements-by-governor-tim-walz-concerning-orders-issued-by-the-court">statement</a> from the Minnesota Judicial Branch saying Walz had made inaccurate statements about the payments and that the court “never ordered” them to restart. 
“The attorneys at the Department of Education interpreted that differently. Both of those judges are no longer on the bench,” Walz said. 
Walz was also asked about allegations that his office retaliated against whistleblowers who raised concerns about the state&#8217;s handling of fraud. Some have claimed they were told to stay silent over fears of being perceived as “racist” or “Islamophobic.” 
“I can&#8217;t speak to what they said. I can tell you it didn&#8217;t happen,” Walz told Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) when asked about claims his office retaliated against whistleblowers. 
The Trump administration has paused hundreds of millions in federal funding to Minnesota social service programs, citing widespread fraud concerns. 
Vice President JD Vance, who has been tasked by President Trump with leading efforts to combat federal fraud, announced last week that $260 million in Medicaid payments to Minnesota had been paused pending further review.

Minnesota Gov. Walz And AG Ellison Testify At Hearing On Social Services Fraud

Walz Grilled Over Oversight Failures In Nation’s Largest COVID Scam

Fraud

Minnesota

Tim Walz

Former Secretary of State and first lady Hillary Clinton on Thursday requested that her and former President Bill Clinton&#8217;s Jeffrey Epstein-related testimonies be public and on camera.
Clinton, who, along with her husband, finally agreed to appear for depositions before the House Oversight Committee later this month, accused House Republicans of playing &#8220;games&#8221; when they issued subpoenas for the Clintons to testify on their relationship with the late convicted sex offender. The House Oversight Committee is investigating the crimes committed by Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell as the Justice Department continues to release millions of documents from the case.
&#8220;For six months, we engaged Republicans on the Oversight Committee in good faith. We told them what we know, under oath,&#8221; Clinton <a href="https://x.com/HillaryClinton/status/2019394857312399796">said</a>. &#8220;They ignored all of it. They moved the goalposts and turned accountability into an exercise in distraction.&#8221;
&#8220;So let’s stop the games,&#8221; she added. &#8220;If you want this fight, [Rep. James Comer (R-KY)], let’s have it—in public. You love to talk about transparency. There’s nothing more transparent than a public hearing, cameras on. We will be there.&#8221;
Comer <a href="https://x.com/bennyjohnson/status/2019449373860544596">responded</a> to Clinton&#8217;s request and told conservative podcaster Benny Johnson that the testimonies &#8220;will be public&#8221; since the committee will release the transcripts, as well as audio and video. The depositions are scheduled to be recorded, with the recordings and transcripts released later, but Comer suggested that the committee is considering live-streaming the hearings.
&#8220;We hadn&#8217;t planned on it being live, but we&#8217;re seeing the legality of that, and it&#8217;s never been done before,&#8221; Comer said.
Earlier this week, the Clintons agreed to appear for depositions as the House was preparing to vote to hold the Democrats in contempt of Congress. The Clintons did not appear for their scheduled depositions last month, sparking outrage from Republican lawmakers who quickly began contempt proceedings.
Last week, nine Democrats joined with all Republicans on the House Oversight Committee to hold former President Bill Clinton in contempt, and three Democrats voted with Republicans to hold Hillary Clinton in contempt. The full House vote on holding the Democratic couple in contempt was expected to take place on Wednesday, but on Monday, the Clintons changed course and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/clintons-cave-agree-to-testify-in-house-epstein-investigation">agreed</a> to appear for their depositions.
Hillary Clinton is scheduled to appear before the Oversight Committee on February 26, while Bill Clinton is set to testify on February 27. Oversight Committee Chairman Comer <a href="https://oversight.house.gov/release/chairman-comer-announces-the-clintons-caved-will-appear-for-depositions/">said</a> the Clintons &#8220;completely caved&#8221; after &#8220;it became clear that the House of Representatives would hold them in contempt.&#8221;
&#8220;We look forward to questioning the Clintons as part of our investigation into the horrific crimes of Epstein and Maxwell, to deliver transparency and accountability for the American people and for survivors,&#8221; Comer added.
The Clintons have not been accused of any wrongdoing related to Epstein&#8217;s sex crimes. Bill Clinton was a friend of Epstein&#8217;s in the early 2000s, traveling with the financier numerous times on Epstein&#8217;s plane, which was used for sex trafficking. The former president was also seen in a picture getting a back massage from Chauntae Davies, one of Epstein&#8217;s accusers. None of Epstein&#8217;s victims has accused Bill Clinton of any wrongdoing.
The Clintons have argued that they &#8220;already provided the limited information they possess about Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell&#8221; in sworn statements they sent to the Oversight Committee. Comer, however, said that the Clintons need to answer questions under oath.

Hillary Clinton/James Comer

Hillary Clinton Challenges House Oversight Chair To Hold Her Epstein Deposition ‘In Public’

Bill Clinton

Hillary Clinton

Bill and Hillary Clinton have dropped their opposition and agreed to testify before the House Oversight Committee, which is investigating the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The Clintons’ reversal came as House lawmakers prepared to vote to hold the former president and former Secretary of State in contempt of Congress for ignoring a subpoena, a committee aide told <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/02/bill-and-hillary-clinton-will-now-testify-before-congress-00761325">Politico</a>. It was not immediately clear when the Clintons are expected to appear before the committee.
The Clintons were originally scheduled to be deposed by the committee in mid-December. Committee chair James Comer (R-KY) pushed back the deposition date by a month to accommodate the Clintons’ plans to attend a funeral.
The Clintons skipped their scheduled appearance last month. Lawmakers on the committee then voted on a bipartisan basis to forward contempt charges to the House, which was scheduled to take up a vote on the charges this week.
“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,” the Clintons <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republicans-seek-to-hold-bill-clinton-in-contempt-after-he-refuses-to-testify-on-epstein">wrote</a> in a letter last month explaining their decision to flout the subpoena. “For us, now is that time.”
The Clintons <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/clintons-in-the-hot-seat-as-oversight-committee-recommends-contempt-charges-over-epstein-scandal">argued</a> in the letter that they had reason to believe the subpoenas to force their testimony were “legally invalid.” They said further that they “tried to give [Comer] the little information [they] have.”
“We’ve done so because Mr. Epstein’s crimes were horrific,” the letter continued. “There is no plausible explanation for what you are doing other than partisan politics.”
Neither Bill nor Hillary has been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein. No evidence has been found that Hillary ever traveled with Epstein, much less boarded Epstein’s now-infamous jet, the Lolita Express.
Bill Clinton has admitted to a handful of interactions with Epstein, including four trips on board Epstein&#8217;s jet, a meeting at Epstein’s Harlem office in 2002, and “one brief visit to Epstein’s New York apartment.” Reports and court filings have suggested numerous other encounters took place, however.
The former president took at least 27 flights on Epstein’s plane, according to a review of flight logs by <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/2628210/bill-clinton-stonewalls-on-flights-with-child-sex-offender-epstein/">The Washington Examiner</a>.
Epstein visited the Clinton White House multiple times throughout the 1990s and attended “a donors’ reception hosted by Bill and Hillary Clinton” in 1993, according to a 2019 report in <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epstein-visited-clinton-white-house-multiple-times-in-early-90s">The Daily Beast</a>. Epstein attended the reception after making a $10,000 donation to the White House Historical Association.
The House Oversight Committee launched an investigation into Epstein last year to <a href="https://oversight.house.gov/release/chairman-comer-clintons-must-be-held-accountable-for-refusing-to-comply-with-duly-issued-bipartisan-subpoenas/">develop</a> an understanding of the disgraced financier’s “sex trafficking network, the ways Epstein sought to curry favor and influence to evade scrutiny, and how Congress can strengthen laws to better combat human trafficking,” according to the committee.
Epstein died in 2019 in his jail cell in the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City. Since taking over a year ago, the Trump administration has released millions of pages worth of documents, files, communications, and other evidence in the “Epstein files.”

Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton

Clintons Cave, Agree To Testify In House Epstein Investigation

House Republican Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) rejected requests from former President Bill Clinton and first lady Hillary Clinton on Monday. The two Democrats face contempt of Congress votes over their refusal to appear for depositions over an investigation into convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
The House is set to vote as early as Wednesday to hold the Clintons in contempt of Congress after the former president and first lady did not show up for their scheduled depositions in January. The Clintons&#8217; lawyers, however, are still hoping to work out a deal with Comer and sent the Republican a letter Saturday saying the former president would be willing to sit for a four-hour transcribed interview instead of a deposition under oath. The lawyers also said Hillary Clinton would submit a sworn declaration rather than appear in person for a deposition.
Comer <a href="https://x.com/GOPoversight/status/2018378201039282202/photo/3">called</a> the offers &#8220;unreasonable,&#8221; adding, &#8220;It has been nearly six months since your clients first received the Committee&#8217;s subpoena, more than three months since the original date of their depositions, and nearly three weeks since they failed to appear for their depositions commensurate with the Committee&#8217;s lawful subpoenas.&#8221;
&#8220;Your clients&#8217; desire for special treatment is both frustrating and an affront to the American people&#8217;s desire for transparency,&#8221; Comer wrote in a reply to the Clintons&#8217; attorneys.
Comer said that the Clintons&#8217; requests for the transcribed interview would mean that Bill Clinton could &#8220;refuse to answer whatever questions he wanted for whatever reasons he wanted.&#8221; The House Oversight chairman added that the four-hour time limit requested would give Bill Clinton an &#8220;incentive to attempt to run out the clock by giving unnecessarily long answers and meandering off-topic.&#8221;
&#8220;This is a particular concern where a witness, such as President Clinton, has an established record of being a loquacious individual,&#8221; Comer added.
Regarding the request for Hillary Clinton, Comer told the attorneys that the Oversight Committee &#8220;has made clear on numerous occasions the necessity of her in-person testimony and unacceptability of simple sworn declarations.&#8221;
A majority of the House must vote in favor of a contempt resolution for it to pass. If found in contempt of Congress, the Clintons face large fines and potentially jail time.
Bill and Hillary Clinton were subpoenaed to appear before the House Oversight Committee last year as the committee conducted its investigation into Epstein. The Clintons&#8217; deposition dates were initially scheduled for October and then moved to December, and finally moved to January, but the former president and his wife were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republicans-seek-to-hold-bill-clinton-in-contempt-after-he-refuses-to-testify-on-epstein?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Republicans+Seek+To+Hold+Bill+Clinton+In+Contempt+After+He+Refuses+To+Testify+On+Epstein">no-shows</a>.
After the Clintons skipped their depositions, nine Democrats <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/clintons-in-the-hot-seat-as-oversight-committee-recommends-contempt-charges-over-epstein-scandal?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Clintons+In+The+Hot+Seat+As+Oversight+Committee+Recommends+Contempt+Charges+Over+Epstein+Scandal">joined</a> with all Republicans on the House Oversight Committee to hold Bill Clinton in contempt, and three Democrats voted with Republicans to hold Hillary Clinton in contempt.
The Clintons were friends of Epstein&#8217;s in the early 2000s, with Bill Clinton often flying with Epstein on the sex predator&#8217;s infamous private plane. Neither the former president nor the first lady has been accused of any wrongdoing related to Epstein&#8217;s crimes. After receiving their subpoenas, the Clintons argued that they &#8220;already provided the limited information they possess about Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell to the Committee.&#8221;
Bill Clinton has appeared multiple times in the Epstein files, as the Justice Department continues to release batches of documents and photos to the public. Some of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bill-clinton-responds-to-shocking-photos-in-epstein-file-dump">images</a> released by the Justice Department from Epstein&#8217;s estate show Bill Clinton enjoying a hot tub with a woman whose face was redacted and swimming in a pool with Epstein&#8217;s associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in the sex trafficking scheme. Bill Clinton was also pictured getting a shoulder massage from one of Epstein&#8217;s accusers, Chauntae Davies. Davies has not accused the former president of any wrongdoing.
Bill Clinton’s chief of staff, Angel Ureña, said in December that the former president &#8220;knew nothing and cut Epstein off before his crimes came to light.&#8221;

House Oversight Committee Votes On Holding Bill Clinton In Contempt Of Congress

House Oversight Chair Rejects Last-Ditch Effort From Clintons To Avoid Contempt Vote

House Republicans

The House Oversight Committee voted to recommend holding Bill and Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress for not complying with subpoenas related to the Jeffrey Epstein probe.
The committee&#8217;s recommendation now goes to the full House for a vote, where the Republican majority seems inclined to vote yes. It is then up to the Trump Justice Department to decide if it will pursue a grand jury indictment against the Clintons, according to CBS News. The committee subpoenaed both Clintons after several photos of the former president surfaced in the Epstein files already released.
In a January 13 letter to Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, the Clintons said they have reason to believe the subpoenas are “legally invalid” and that they “tried to give [Comer] the little information [they] have.”
“We’ve done so because Mr. Epstein’s crimes were horrific,” the statement read, adding that “There is no plausible explanation for what you are doing other than partisan politics.”
Congress passed the &#8220;Epstein Files Transparency Act&#8221; in November by nearly unanimous margins in both chambers, and it was then signed into law by President Donald Trump. Democrats have argued that the pace of the files&#8217; release has been too slow.
In a lengthy markup hearing on Wednesday, there was a debate about the specifics of “acceptable terms,” as Comer phrased it, including whether or not there should be a recorded transcript of the Clintons&#8217; depositions.
“They have had five months to comply with this,” Comer said, noting the negotiations with the Clintons&#8217; attorneys.
&#8220;We expect to hear from Bill Clinton, he is not above the law,&#8221; he later said.
Prior to the hearing, Comer wrote on social media that “the Clintons’ lawyers made an untenable offer: that I travel to New York for a conversation with President Clinton only. No official transcript would be recorded and other Members of Congress would be barred from participating. I have rejected the Clintons’ ridiculous offer.”
“The Clintons’ latest demands make clear they believe their last name entitles them to special treatment,” the Kentucky congressman added.
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA), ranking member of the committee, argued that the “Clintons have not objected to a transcript.”
“Let’s talk to President Clinton, and let’s get a transcript of it, let’s have the committee there and the staff there and move forward,” the California Democrat added.
“They did object to a transcript Mr. Garcia, they did object to a transcript, they’re just now changing because they see that public opinion is not on their side,” Comer responded.
Democrats on the committee said that the decision to hold the possibility of holding the Clintons in contempt is political targeting, arguing that the same standard was not honored for other subpoenas issued.
“Attorney General Pam Bondi has violated the subpoena issued by this committee; we should be holding her in contempt to remain fair and to remain transparent, and so I ask that you do that if you want to be fair and care about justice for the victims here,” Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ) said during the hearing.
Comer responded, saying that ‘They have turned documents over,” and noted multiple times in the hearing that Bondi is expected to testify before the House Judiciary Committee next month, where she could be asked about the Epstein files process.
Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA) proposed an amendment to hold Bondi in civil contempt, saying she&#8217;s not against the effort to hold the Clintons &#8220;accountable&#8221; but argued that the contempt effort was being &#8220;fast-tracked.&#8221; Rep. Dave Min (D-CA) suggested civil enforcement of the subpoena instead, which Comer pushed back on, citing insight from legal counsel.
&#8220;If this committee wants to be taken seriously, we would be addressing all the bad actors in this investigation, not cherry-picking them for political points. The Justice Department needs to be held accountable for their non-compliance and their lack of transparency,&#8221; Lee said.
The amendments proposed by the Democrats ultimately failed to pass. Nine Democrats voted with Republicans to hold Bill Clinton in contempt. Three voted to hold Hillary Clinton in contempt.
The Clintons did not respond to a request for comment.

Bill and Hillary Clinton

Clintons In The Hot Seat As Oversight Committee Recommends Contempt Charges Over Epstein Scandal

DHS says an ICE agent shot an illegal immigrant in the leg after being attacked on Wednesday, new information on the condition of the ICE agent who fatally shot an agitator last week, and the Clintons duck an Epstein investigation subpoena. Get the facts first with Morning Wire.
It’s Thursday, January 15, 2026, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/minneapolis-shooting-aftermath-clintons-defy-subpoena/id1576594336?i=1000745268172" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Mayhem In Minneapolis As Agitators Target ICE</h2>
An ICE agent shot &#8220;an illegal alien from Venezuela&#8221; in the leg on Wednesday night after being &#8220;ambushed by three individuals,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/DHSgov/status/2011632198000976086">according</a> to an X post by DHS. The agent was attacked with a snow shovel and a broom handle. The ICE officer and the suspect who was shot were hospitalized, and the other two attackers are in custody, DHS said. Tensions on the streets remain high in Minneapolis, but ICE is still moving forward with its mission. Daily Wire immigration reporter Jenny Taer joined Morning Wire on the ground in Minneapolis, describing the chaotic environment in which federal immigration officers are attempting to do their jobs. “There were absolutely moments where I felt like things were just going to go haywire,” Taer said. Agitators constantly impede and threaten officers. Arrests of agitators have become a daily occurrence in Minneapolis, despite efforts by federal agents to de-escalate and allow agitators to step away. Taer said that the situation in Minneapolis is “very intense,” and the attempt to hamper ICE is a “very organized, well-communicated operation.”
<h2 style="text-align: center;">ICE Officer Sustains Internal Bleeding After Renee Good Shooting</h2>
New information has come to light on the condition of the ICE agent who fatally shot Renee Good. According to the Department of Homeland Security, Good’s vehicle <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ice-officer-who-shot-renee-good-internal-injuries-sources-say/">struck</a> the ICE agent hard enough to cause internal bleeding. The agent and his family have since gone into hiding because of the threats they face. Regarding the Good investigation, at least half a dozen prosecutors have resigned from the Minneapolis U.S. Attorney&#8217;s office over the handling of the Good shooting death investigation, reportedly stemming from objections to Justice Department priorities and the refusal to open a civil rights inquiry.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Clintons Duck Congress’s Epstein Questions</h2>
The Clintons are refusing to comply with a subpoena in the House Oversight Committee’s Jeffrey Epstein investigation. The Clintons’ attorneys issued a lengthy statement on Tuesday saying the couple would not appear before Congress to answer questions. The letter argued that the former president and first lady had “already provided the limited information they possess about Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell to the Committee,” and that the committee’s subpoenas “are invalid and legally unenforceable.” Oversight Committee chairman Rep. James Comer (R-KY) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republicans-seek-to-hold-bill-clinton-in-contempt-after-he-refuses-to-testify-on-epstein">said</a> in return, the committee would vote next week to “hold former President Clinton in contempt of Congress.”

MRN_260115_V2

Morning Brief: ICE Agent ‘Ambushed,’ New Details In Renee Good Case, & The Clintons Duck Congress

Morning Brief: Good Vehicle Injures ICE, Mayhem In Minneapolis, And Clintons Duck Congress

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Minneapolis

Morning Wire

Renee Good

Former President Bill Clinton refused to testify before the House Oversight Committee on Tuesday after he and former first lady Hillary Clinton were subpoenaed to appear for a closed-door hearing on their relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
House Oversight Republicans, led by Kentucky Rep. James Comer, said they will seek to hold the former president in contempt of Congress next week.
&#8220;As a result of Bill Clinton not showing up for his lawful subpoena, which again was voted unanimously by the committee in a bipartisan manner, we will move next week in the House Oversight Committee markup to hold former President Clinton in contempt of Congress,&#8221; Comer said.
&#8220;I think everyone knows by now Bill Clinton did not show up,&#8221; Comer added. &#8220;No one&#8217;s accusing Bill Clinton of any wrongdoing. We just have questions. And that&#8217;s why the Democrats voted, along with Republicans, to subpoena Bill Clinton.&#8221;
Hillary Clinton is scheduled to testify on Wednesday, but it also appears that she will not comply with the subpoena, according to a letter the Clintons sent to Comer.
“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,” the Clintons wrote in the letter, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/01/13/us/politics/clinton-legal-letter-comer.html">according</a> to The New York Times. “For us, now is that time.”
The lengthy letter, which was sent by the Clintons&#8217; attorneys, argued that the former president and first lady had &#8220;already provided the limited information they possess about Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell to the Committee.&#8221; They also claimed that the committee&#8217;s subpoenas &#8220;are invalid and legally unenforceable, untethered to a valid legislative purpose, unwarranted because they do not seek pertinent information, and an unprecedented infringement on the separation of powers.&#8221;
The Clintons were initially scheduled to appear before Congress in mid-December, but Comer moved their testimonies to January 13 and 14 to accommodate their funeral obligation. After receiving a subpoena to appear before the committee, the Clintons&#8217; lawyer asked if they could submit “a written proffer of what little information” they have on Epstein. Comer <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/congress-just-ordered-the-clintons-to-face-epstein-depositions-heres-when-theyll-be-grilled">denied</a> that request in November and ordered the Clintons to appear for their depositions.
Epstein, whose past relationship with President Donald Trump has been scrutinized over the past year, was also friends with the Clintons. Bill Clinton traveled on Epstein&#8217;s infamous private jet with the disgraced financier and his associate Maxwell multiple times. Clinton was also photographed receiving a back massage from then-22-year-old Epstein accuser Chauntae Davies.
There is no evidence that Hillary traveled with Epstein, and neither Bill nor Hillary has been accused of any wrongdoing related to Epstein’s sex crimes. Bill Clinton&#8217;s relationship with Epstein, however, is back in the spotlight as the Department of Justice has begun releasing more files and photos from the Epstein estate. Some of the images <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bill-clinton-responds-to-shocking-photos-in-epstein-file-dump">show</a> Clinton swimming in a pool alongside Maxwell, and in another, he is in a hot tub with a woman whose face is redacted.
President Trump, who also used to be a friend of Epstein&#8217;s, has accused Clinton of visiting Epstein&#8217;s island, a claim that Clinton denies. But Trump <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-on-release-epstein-files-photos-clinton-others/">said</a> last month that he didn&#8217;t like the pictures of Clinton being released to the public.
&#8220;I think Bill Clinton&#8217;s a big boy, he can handle it,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;But you probably have pictures being exposed of other people that innocently met Jeffrey Epstein years ago &#8230; and they&#8217;re highly respected bankers and lawyers and others.&#8221;
In a statement <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bill-clinton-responds-to-shocking-photos-in-epstein-file-dump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responding</a> to the photos, Clinton&#8217;s chief of staff, Angel Ureña, said that the former president &#8220;knew nothing and cut Epstein off before his crimes came to light.&#8221;
“The White House hasn’t been hiding these files for months only to dump them late on a Friday to protect Bill Clinton,” Ureña added. “This is about shielding themselves from what comes next, or from what they’ll try and hide forever. So they can release as many grainy, 20-plus-year-old photos as they want, but this isn’t about Bill Clinton. Never has, never will be.”

Republicans Seek To Hold Bill Clinton In Contempt After He Refuses To Testify On Epstein

House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) has launched a sweeping investigation into alleged systemic fraud and misuse of federal funds in Minnesota’s social services programs. The inquiry is scheduled to begin on January 7, 2026. This initial session will feature testimony from Minnesota state lawmakers, including Republican Reps. Kristin Robbins, Walter Hudson, and Marion Rarick, who claim that their prior warnings about fiscal misconduct were ignored by state leadership.
The investigation targets a &#8220;heist&#8221; of taxpayer dollars that has occurred during the administrations of Democrat Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison. Chairman Comer has formally invited both Walz and Ellison to testify on February 10, 2026, <a href="file:///The%20press%20release%20stated">accusing</a> them of being &#8220;asleep at the wheel or complicit&#8221; in the disappearance of billions of dollars. To support the probe, the Committee has requested Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) from the U.S. Department of the Treasury and scheduled transcribed interviews with various state officials.
<a class="c-link" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Christmas Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
This congressional action coincides with an aggressive federal crackdown led by the Trump administration. Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-uncovers-another-400-million-in-suspected-minnesota-fraud">announced</a> the suspension of 6,900 Minnesota borrowers linked to approximately $400 million in potentially fraudulent pandemic-era loans. Furthermore, the Department of Health and Human Services has frozen all childcare payments to the state following allegations of widespread fraud at daycare centers. Federal investigators are also probing schemes involving fraudulent autism diagnoses and the &#8220;Feeding Our Future&#8221; program, which allegedly diverted funds intended for hungry children.
Critics, including House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN), <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/minnesota-congressman-says-walz-administration-squashed-fraud-probe-to-appease-somali-voting-bloc">allege</a> that state leadership intentionally stifled investigations to maintain political support within specific immigrant communities. Reports suggest that Minnesota’s social programs may have lost as much as $9 billion to fraud since 2018.
While Governor Walz has defended his record and characterized the investigations as politically motivated attempts to justify funding cuts, Chairman Comer maintains that Congress has a duty to ensure accountability. The Committee’s ultimate goal is to expose the failures that allowed these &#8220;criminal actors&#8221; to exploit taxpayer-funded programs and to implement rigorous safeguards against future theft.

MixCollage-02-Jan-2026-11-43-AM-3696

House Oversight Launches Investigation Into Multibillion-Dollar Minnesota Fraud

Keith Ellison

Menu