Panel on Oversight Record: Former President Clinton Does Not Appear; Member Announces Intent to Seek Contempt

A deposition of former President William J. Clinton was placed on the record before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, but Clinton did not appear, and a committee member announced the panel would pursue contempt proceedings.

Speaker 1 opened the session and entered a series of letters and the committee's deposition notice into the record. Speaker 1 later noted the time and that Clinton had still not appeared. "It's a shame president Clinton failed to appear in accordance with our duly authorized congressional subpoena," said Speaker 2, who announced, "Oversight committee will now initiate contempt of congress proceedings against the former president for defying the law." The transcript does not record a formal motion, a second, or a committee vote on the record.

The committee clerk or presiding staff marked multiple exhibits showing repeated communications between the committee and former President Clinton's counsel, David Kendall, including letters dated August through January that document the subpoena, postponement notices, and repeated requests for compliance. Those exhibits were entered into the record by Speaker 1.

The announcement of intent to pursue contempt was a unilateral statement on the transcript; the committee did not record a roll-call vote, a motion text beyond the statement, or an outcome in the proceeding captured here. Any formal contempt finding, referral, or enforcement action would require additional committee procedure that did not occur on the recorded segment.

The hearing went briefly off the record after the member's statement; the transcript ends with the time noted at 10:16 and the record taken off line.