Clintons say Comer is 'lying with impunity' about Epstein inquiry, release written declarations
The Clintons on Wednesday doubled down on their vow to fight back as Rep. James Comer and other congressional Republicans vowed to pursue contempt of Congress charges against the former president and former secretary of State over their defiance of subpoenas in the panel's Epstein investigation.
The statement from the Clintons comes a day after they released a scathing letter addressed to Comer saying that "now is the time" to "fight for this country" and blasted Comer's efforts as "partisan politics."
And it comes as Comer vowed to hold both Bill and Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress during proceedings scheduled for next week, saying the former secretary of State "joined her husband in defying a bipartisan, lawful congressional subpoena to show up today."
On Wednesday -- in a press release from the office of the former president -- the Clintons contended they have gone "above and beyond" what others have been asked to do by the committee, providing what they describe as "comprehensive" sworn statements listing "everything they have to offer" on the topic of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
"You probably don't know this because James Comer doesn't want you to," the statement says. "President and Secretary Clinton swore to the truth under penalty of perjury. James Comer hasn't told you that and has instead resorted to lying in every appearance he's made this week."
"We are fighting back with facts and accountability," the statement adds. "He is lying with impunity."
The ex-president's office also released the written declarations -- dated Jan. 13 from each of the Clintons -- which they say were provided to the Oversight Committee.
The declarations -- containing seven bullet-pointed paragraphs each -- end with this: "I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct."
Both Clintons -- in their written declarations -- deny any personal knowledge of the criminal activities of Epstein and Maxwell. Both deny ever visiting Epstein's private estate in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The former president acknowledges in his declaration that Epstein "may very well have attended" White House events during Clinton's two terms in office and may have been among the "tens of thousands" of people photographed with him. But Clinton said he did "not recall encountering Mr. Epstein, or any specific interaction with him, while in office."
Each of the Clintons contend that they had no involvement -- while in office or afterward -- in any criminal investigations or prosecutions of either Epstein or Maxwell.
"I did not direct, oversee or participate in the handling of the investigations or prosecutions of the Epstein or Maxwell cases," both Clintons state in their declarations.
Both Clintons also state they could not recall the circumstances of how they met Maxwell -- but remember that she later "began a personal relationship with a mutual friend."
"To be clear, I had no idea of Mr. Epstein's or Ms. Maxwell's criminal activities," former President Clinton wrote. "And, irrespective of any intent either may have ever had, I did not take any action for the purpose of helping them to avoid any type of scrutiny."
"During my tenure in public office, from 1993 to 2013, I never had any responsibility for, or involvement with, the Department of Justice's handling of the Epstein and Maxwell investigations or prosecutions," Hillary Rodham Clinton wrote in her declaration.
