House Oversight session on Clinton deposition: she does not appear; majority signals contempt action

A deposition session for former Secretary Hillary R. Clinton convened on Jan. 13, 2026 before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, but Clinton did not appear. Committee staff recorded that a subcommittee on federal law enforcement had, on July 23, 2025, unanimously voted to approve a motion directing the committee to authorize and issue a deposition subpoena for Clinton.

Speaker 2, speaking for the majority, said the witness’s absence amounted to defiance of a congressional subpoena and announced the panel would initiate contempt of Congress proceedings if the former secretary continued to refuse to appear. "Just like her husband, secretary Clinton is defying our duly authorized congressional subpoena," Speaker 2 said.

Committee staff entered for the record a series of letters and notices dated between 08/05/2025 and 01/13/2026 that document the committee’s communications with counsel for the Clintons, including an enclosed deposition subpoena and email confirmations from former Secretary Clinton’s attorney, David Kendall, acknowledging receipt of letters and subpoenas. The staff also noted a deposition postponement notice and subsequent correspondence that referenced the prospect of contempt if the witness failed to appear.

The session did not record a formal contempt vote; the majority announced its intent to initiate contempt proceedings. The transcript records the subcommittee’s prior unanimous approval to authorize and issue a subpoena, but it does not specify individual vote counts or identify the motion mover or seconder.

The committee went off the record at 10:12 a.m. with the question of formal enforcement — including whether the committee will vote to hold the former secretary in contempt — left as the next procedural step described by the majority.