US House panel subpoenas Clintons in Epstein probe
Other ex-officials, including Comey and Mueller, were also summoned to testify.
Lawmakers pushed for transparency as conspiracy theories around Epstein persisted.
The US House Oversight Committee on Tuesday subpoenaed former president Bill Clinton and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton for testimony on sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to letters posted on its website.
The Clintons were among multiple former government officials - including two of President Donald Trump's attorney generals from his first term - summoned by investigators in a major escalation of the controversy surrounding the investigation into the disgraced financier, who died in 2019 awaiting trial for sex trafficking.
The White House has been facing increasingly intense demands to be more transparent after the Justice Department angered Trump supporters - many of whom believe Epstein was murdered in a cover-up - when it confirmed last month that he had died by suicide and that his case was effectively closed.
The department also said Epstein had no secret 'client list' - rebuffing conspiracy theories held by Trump's far-right supporters about supposedly high-level Democratic complicity.
Trump has urged his supporters to drop demands for the Epstein files, but Democrats in the Republican-led Congress - with some support from majority lawmakers - have also been seeking a floor vote to force their release.
'By your own admission, you flew on Jeffrey Epstein's private plane four separate times in 2002 and 2003,' committee chairperson James Comer wrote to former president Clinton.
'During one of these trips, you were even pictured receiving a 'massage' from one of Mr Epstein's victims.'
'It has also been claimed that you pressured Vanity Fair not to publish sex trafficking allegations against your 'good friend' Mr Epstein, and there are conflicting reports about whether you ever visited Mr Epstein's island.'
Other officials targeted by the panel include former FBI director James Comey, former special counsel Robert Mueller and ex-attorney generals Loretta Lynch, Eric Holder, Merrick Garland, Bill Barr, Jeff Sessions, and Alberto Gonzales.
Their depositions will take place between mid-August and mid-October.
Comer also issued a subpoena to the Justice Department for records related to Epstein - including its communications with Trump's predecessor Joe Biden and his officials.
House Oversight Committee Democrats, backed by some Republicans, approved a subpoena in July for the Justice Department to hand over documents.
Lawmakers have also been seeking testimony from Epstein's accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving 20 years in prison for her role in his alleged crimes - although her cooperation is seen as unlikely.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court's justices are expected to consider at a 29 September conference ahead of their October term whether to hear an appeal by Maxwell of her sex trafficking conviction.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
6 minutes ago
- Fox News
Man arrested with fully loaded AR-15 and knives outside Palm Beach airport frequented by Trump
Authorities in Florida arrested a man early Tuesday morning after discovering a loaded AR-15 rifle and several knives inside a rental vehicle parked in a restricted area at a Palm Beach County Airport, according to law enforcement officials. Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office (PBSO) deputies responded around 7:10 a.m. after airport operations staff reported a suspicious individual standing outside a dark-colored vehicle in a secure parking zone. When deputies arrived, they found the man, later identified as Michael Rodrigues, 41, of no known local address, outside the vehicle, reportedly getting dressed. Deputies determined the vehicle was a rental and opened the glove compartment to retrieve the rental agreement. Inside, they found a fully loaded AR-15 magazine. A full search of the vehicle uncovered a loaded AR-15 rifle and multiple knives hidden beneath a blanket on the seat. The man was taken into custody without incident and is currently being interviewed by detectives. WOMAN WITH 'URGENT MESSAGE' FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP ARRESTED NEAR MAR-A-LAGO SECURITY CHECKPOINT Rodrigues has not yet been formally charged, but the investigation is ongoing. Authorities are working to obtain a search warrant for further examination of the vehicle and any related evidence. 'COWARD' FACING CHARGES, ACCUSED OF TARGETING FEDERAL AGENTS WITH FIERY ATTACK AT LOS ANGELES HOTEL The airport is known to be used by President Trump, though officials confirmed Trump is not currently in Florida. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP A law enforcement source tells Fox News that no threats have been made and the motive behind the incident remains unclear at this time. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to
Fox News
8 minutes ago
- Fox News
Man On White House Roof
Democrats are so desperate for attention that they're pulling out knives and screaming about dictators. However, President Trump can't hear them from the roof of The White House. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit FOX News Radio
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump's Ukraine peace plan now runs straight through an old friend
After championing Vladimir Putin indefatigably for months, Donald Trump is poised this week to punish Russia's invasion of Ukraine for the first time. But it is India, not Russia, that appears likely to bear the brunt. Facing a self-imposed deadline – shortened from 50 to 12 days – the US president has until Friday to unveil measures aimed at forcing Putin to consider a ceasefire. With bipartisan support in Congress for tough sanctions, Mr Trump has threatened to throttle Russia's war economy by imposing 100 per cent tariffs on any country buying its oil. Such a move would have a significant impact, says Timothy Ash, associate fellow at Chatham House, an international affairs think tank: 'Russia's exports would slow to a trickle. Its fiscal revenues would stop almost completely. We would see major runs on banks and the currency come under severe pressure.' Focus on Moscow's oil exports But, he adds, while the impact on Moscow would be severe, it would also unleash turmoil on world markets, send oil prices sky-rocketing and chill the global economy. So outlandish did the threat seem that investors initially dismissed it as bluster from a president long open about his warm relations with Putin. But in recent days, he has begun shaping a more modest sanctions package targeting states whose purchases of Russian oil help fund the war. So far his focus has been selective. He has avoided threatening China – Russia's biggest energy customer – and Turkey, the third largest. Instead, he has singled out India, the second-largest buyer. Last week, Mr Trump raised tariffs on Indian goods to 25 per cent, above the rate applied to Asian competitors, and promised an additional penalty for Delhi's oil purchases from Russia. 'They're fuelling the war machine, and if they're going to do that, then I'm not happy,' he told CNBC on Tuesday, saying he would unveil the new tariff within 24 hours. India's role in sustaining Russia's economy is clear. Before the 2022 invasion, Russian oil accounted for just 0.2 per cent of India's imports; today it is 45 percent – around two million barrels a day – bringing £41bn in revenue last year, according to Delhi's Global Trade Research Initiative. Even so, China buys more – 47 per cent of Russia's oil, compared with India's 37 per cent. Mr Trump's circumspection as far as Beijing is concerned probably reflects geopolitical caution: Washington and Beijing only recently stabilised relations after a damaging trade war and Mr Trump is hoping to stage a triumphant summit with Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, before the end of the year. That he feels freer to confront India suggests ulterior motives. Despite the president's warm personal ties with Narendra Modi, India's prime minister, US relations with the country he leads have soured. Trade negotiations have stalled, frustrating Mr Trump. He was also reportedly incensed when Pakistan, not India, praised his mediation and even nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize after the India-Pakistan clashes in May. Mr Modi, by contrast, played down Mr Trump's role and has paid the price for his perceived ingratitude. In June, Mr Trump invited Asim Munir, Pakistan's powerful army chief, to lunch at the White House, pledged to improve relations with India's chief enemy and announced plans to help develop its oil reserves. Scepticism over Mr Trump's sudden concern about Indian oil imports is heightened by his previous reluctance to impose new sanctions on Russia – or even uphold the old ones. Enforcement of existing restrictions has significantly weakened since he returned to the White House, critics say. Not only did he decline to appoint a new head of the State Department's Office of Sanctions Co-ordination, he has also proved reluctant to coordinate with the EU on sanctions enforcement, European officials complain. 'He feels played and he's angry' Front companies helping Moscow evade restrictions have proliferated, critics say – a claim the White House denies. Some analysts believe Mr Trump has had a genuine change of heart, after concluding that only meaningful pressure on Putin – who believes he has the battlefield advantage – will bring him to the negotiating table. With some experts warning a Russian victory is no longer unthinkable, the president seems determined to act. 'I think Trump has come around to the realisation that convincing Putin to back away from his maximalist war aims will take more than nice conversations,' said Charles Kupchan, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, a prominent US think tank. 'I think in many respects you're looking at an American president who feels played by Putin, and he's angry. And now that he has pivoted, he does not want to go down in history as the American president who lost Ukraine.' Whether focusing on India alone will work is doubtful, particularly as Mr Modi shows no sign of yielding. Mr Trump insists that secondary tariffs could cut Russian oil revenues enough to force Putin to rethink his strategy. 'If energy goes down enough, Putin is going to stop killing people,' he said last week. 'If you get energy down, another $10 a barrel, he's going to have no choice because his economy stinks.' But experts warn that tariffs and sanctions alone may not be enough, certainly if they are imposed on India alone. As Mr Kupchan notes: 'Increasing economic pressure is necessary, but it's only one plank of a set of policies. The more important element is getting arms to Ukraine and helping it build its own military-industrial base. 'I don't think we can strangle the Russian economy. Ultimately, Ukraine needs the capability to stop Putin.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Solve the daily Crossword
