Comer: “This isn’t a partisan witch hunt”

House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY) on Thursday defended the decision to depose former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as part of the panel's investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, despite Ms. Clinton saying she has never met or spoken to the disgraced financier.

"The Democrats have just as many questions for the Clintons as the Republicans," he said, noting that votes to subpoena and hold the Clintons in contempt of Congress were bipartisan. "So, this isn't a partisan witch hunt. This was a bipartisan motion, supported by Democrats, to bring the Clintons in."

"They've never answered questions, unlike President Trump, who gets questioned every day by just about every one of you about his knowledge or involvement with Epstein," he added. "To my knowledge, the Clintons haven't answered very many questions."

Rep. Comer noted that the panel has also interviewed Republicans — including former Labor Secretary Alex Acosta and former Attorney General Bill Barr — and said it was "very possible" lawmakers would also seek to speak with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who visited Mr. Epstein's island years after his conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

The Kentucky Republican also said the committee was "looking into" NPR's recent report that the Justice Department withheld some Epstein files related to allegations that President Trump sexually abused a minor, as well as other references to the president.

"We don't know the answer to that," he said. "We know what the administration says. We're still looking to get a definitive answer on that."