House Oversight holds Clintons in contempt of Congress in Epstein probe

• The vote was 34-8 to hold Bill Clinton in contempt, with nine Democrats voting in favor and two voting "present."
• On the vote to hold Hillary Clinton in contempt, the vote was 28-15, with only three Democrats voting in favor and one voting "present."
• The panel rejected a Democratic amendment to hold Attorney General Pam Bondi in contempt for delaying the release of the Epstein files.

Driving the news: The former president and former secretary of state failed to appear for depositions last week, prompting Oversight Republicans to pursue contempt proceedings.

• Negotiations to secure Bill Clinton's testimony collapsed Tuesday after Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) rejected a proposal that would have allowed the former president to appear in New York without an official transcript, and without the full committee present.
• "The Clintons' latest demands make clear they believe their last name entitles them to special treatment," Comer wrote in a statement Tuesday.
• "The absence of an official transcript is an indefensible demand that is insulting to the American people who demand answers about Epstein's crimes," he continued.
• Angel Ureña, Bill Clinton's deputy chief of staff, denied that Clinton refused a transcript, writing on X, "If that were the last or only issue, we'd be in a different position. You keep misdirecting to protect you-know-who and God knows what."

Between the lines: Oversight Democrats fumed that the contempt votes were hyper-partisan, but they also wanted to draw a stark contrast with Republicans' unwavering defense of President Trump.

• "It seems like Comer is selectively enforcing subpoenas," Rep. Emily Randall (D-Wash.) told Axios' Andrew Solender last week. But, she added, "I don't think anyone should be able to avoid sharing information with the committee."

Catch up quick: The Clintons were issued subpoenas in August, along with former FBI director James Comey and other government officials.

• The depositions were initially set for October, then pushed to December after Bill Clinton said he needed to attend a funeral.

• In December, Comer agreed to delay the depositions a second time at the Clintons' request but said in a letter at the time that the Clintons' attorney was "unwilling to provide any alternative dates."
• Comer ultimately rescheduled the depositions for last week without confirmation that the Clintons would appear.

State of play: The Justice Department in December released the first tranche of Epstein-related files, which included multiple photos of Bill Clinton.

• Both Clintons have denied any wrongdoing.
• Bill Clinton also traveled aboard Epstein's plane during Clinton Foundation trips in the early 2000s, before Epstein was charged with sex crimes.

Flashback: Penalties in contempt of Congress cases can range from symbolic rebukes to jail time.

• Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro were sentenced to prison for defying subpoenas from the Democratic-led Jan. 6 select committee.
• Former Attorney General Merrick Garland was held in contempt in 2024 for refusing to turn over audio of President Biden's interview with special counsel Robert Hur, but the Biden-era DOJ declined to prosecute the case.

What's next: If the resolution garners the simple majority needed for passage in the House, DOJ will have to decide whether to pursue criminal charges.

• The House is not expected to take up the resolution this week, a source familiar with the matter told Axios.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.