Bill Clinton accuses House GOP of running ‘kangaroo court,’ demands public hearing
WASHINGTON, DC: Former President Bill Clinton escalated his clash with House Republicans on Friday, February 6, accusing them of running a “closed-door kangaroo court” as scrutiny mounts ahead of his expected testimony tied to the Epstein files.
Clinton directed his criticism at House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, arguing that the proposed format of the proceedings favors secrecy over transparency. He is scheduled to appear before the committee later this month on February 27, while former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is set to sit for a deposition on February 26.
Bill Clinton criticizes James Comer’s proposed format for proceedings
Bill Clinton took to X on Friday afternoon to accuse House Republicans of stonewalling despite what he described as repeated efforts to cooperate with investigators.
“I have called for the full release of the Epstein files. I have provided a sworn statement of what I know. And just this week, I’ve agreed to appear in person before the committee. But it’s still not enough for Republicans on the House Oversight Committee,” Clinton wrote.
I have called for the full release of the Epstein files. I have provided a sworn statement of what I know. And just this week, I’ve agreed to appear in person before the committee. But it’s still not enough for Republicans on the House Oversight Committee.
— Bill Clinton (@BillClinton) February 6, 2026
He directly targeted Comer’s plan to conduct recorded interviews behind closed doors.
“Now, Chairman Comer says he wants cameras, but only behind closed doors. Who benefits from this arrangement? It’s not Epstein’s victims, who deserve justice,” Clinton said.
Now, Chairman Comer says he wants cameras, but only behind closed doors. Who benefits from this arrangement? It’s not Epstein’s victims, who deserve justice. Not the public, who deserve the truth. It serves only partisan interests. This is not fact-finding, it’s pure politics.
— Bill Clinton (@BillClinton) February 6, 2026
He argued that secrecy undermines public trust and serves partisan objectives.
“Not the public, who deserve the truth. It serves only partisan interests. This is not fact-finding, it’s pure politics,” Clinton added.
The former president also rejected what he characterized as a political spectacle.
“I will not sit idly as they use me as a prop in a closed-door kangaroo court by a Republican Party running scared,” he wrote. “If they want answers, let’s stop the games & do this the right way: in a public hearing, where the American people can see for themselves what this is really about.”
I will not sit idly as they use me as a prop in a closed-door kangaroo court by a Republican Party running scared. If they want answers, let’s stop the games & do this the right way: in a public hearing, where the American people can see for themselves what this is really about.
— Bill Clinton (@BillClinton) February 6, 2026
Hillary Clinton calls for more transparent oversight process
Hillary Clinton echoed her husband’s concerns in a separate post on X earlier this week, saying she and her team had already cooperated extensively with the committee.
“For six months, we engaged Republicans on the Oversight Committee in good faith. We told them what we know, under oath,” she wrote. “They ignored all of it. They moved the goalposts and turned accountability into an exercise in distraction.”
For six months, we engaged Republicans on the Oversight Committee in good faith. We told them what we know, under oath.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) February 5, 2026
They ignored all of it. They moved the goalposts and turned accountability into an exercise in distraction.
She challenged Comer to make the proceedings public.
“So let’s stop the games. If you want this fight, @RepJamesComer, 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,” she added.
So let’s stop the games.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) February 5, 2026
If you want this fight, @RepJamesComer, 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.
Bill Clinton appears in several Epstein file documents
Bill Clinton is mentioned in multiple documents from the Epstein files, including photographs in which the faces of alleged victims are blurred. He has acknowledged knowing Jeffrey Epstein but has repeatedly denied any involvement in Epstein’s crimes.
The records also include an image of a painting that portrays Clinton wearing a blue dress. The artwork, titled Parsing Bill, was created in 2012 by Australian-American artist Petrina Ryan-Kleid and was displayed at Epstein’s New York residence.
Other images show Clinton aboard a private jet, including one photograph in which he is seated with a woman whose face is obscured. Another shows Clinton in a swimming pool with Epstein’s longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell, along with another unidentified person whose face is blurred.
Clinton spokesperson Angel Urena responded to the release of the images by rejecting any suggestion of a cover-up.
“The White House hasn’t been hiding these files for months only to dump them late on a Friday to protect Bill Clinton,” Urena said. “This is about shielding themselves from what comes next, or from what they’ll try and hide forever. 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.”
Clinton also traveled on Epstein’s private plane in the early 2000s on trips described as humanitarian visits to Africa. At the time, he spoke positively about Epstein as a philanthropist but later said he cut off contact with him.
