The former US president and his wife have refused to appear before Congress to speak on the disgraced financier’s case
Former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has privately chastised Democrats who voted to hold Bill and Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress after they declined to testify in the Jeffrey Epstein probe, CNN reported on Friday.
The former president and his wife received subpoenas last summer as part of the House Oversight Committee’s investigation into the government’s handling of the case involving the late convicted sex offender. Bill Clinton has acknowledged flying on Epstein’s private jet in the early 2000s, and the US Justice Department has released numerous photographs showing the former Democratic president mingling with Epstein in informal settings.
However, both Clintons – who were slated to testify last week – rejected the subpoenas as “invalid and legally unenforceable,” adding they were exploring alternative ways to cooperate with lawmakers.
The Republican-led committee subsequently advanced contempt resolutions, with some Democrats rallying behind the move.
According to CNN, the break in party unity prompted a strong reaction from Pelosi, who led House Democrats from 2003 to 2023. In a closed-door meeting, she reportedly said she was “upset” with Democrats who voted in favor of the motion.
One CNN source described Pelosi as “emphatic,” adding: “When she speaks, she means it. She knows her voice has power.”
CNN reported that Pelosi argued no proceedings should move forward against the Clintons while they were still negotiating with the committee over the terms of a possible future appearance and before the Justice Department releases all remaining Epstein investigative files.
Pelosi, 85, also reportedly rejected comparisons to Donald Trump allies Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro, who were held in contempt over the probe into the January 6 Capitol Hill riot, and later prosecuted and convicted.
Pelosi has been a long-time supporter of the Clintons, defending the ex-president during impeachment in 1998 and endorsing his wife – a former secretary of state – during her presidential campaign in 2016.
The former House speaker, who said she does not plan to seek reelection to Congress, has herself faced criticism from Republicans over alleged insider stock trading by her husband – claims she has rejected. President Trump has been vocal on the matter, saying Pelosi “has the highest return of anybody, practically in the history of Wall Street.”
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