Clintons Agree to Testify in Epstein Probe After Contempt Threat
Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have agreed to testify as part of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, committee leaders announced Tuesday.
Hillary Clinton is scheduled to testify on Feb. 26, followed by Bill Clinton on Feb. 27, according to committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky.
“Republicans and Democrats on the Oversight Committee have been clear: no one is above the law — and that includes the Clintons,” Comer said in a statement Tuesday afternoon.
“Once it became clear that the House of Representatives would hold them in contempt, the Clintons completely caved and will appear for transcribed, filmed depositions this month.”
Earlier Tuesday, Comer accused the Clintons and their attorneys of misrepresenting negotiations with the committee.
“The Clintons have been so dishonest about the negotiation process, and their attorneys have been so dishonest about the negotiation process,” Comer told The Hill.
He said the committee had provided standard deposition terms. “They have to sign it, and then if they sign it, then we agree to terms, and we’ll be deposing the Clintons in the month.”
Angel Urena, a spokesperson for former President Clinton, pushed back on Comer’s claims, calling his remarks disingenuous.
“The Clintons negotiated in good faith. You did not. They told you under oath what they know, but you don’t care,” Urena said in a post on X. “But the former president and former secretary of state will be there.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson previously said Republicans would move to hold the Clintons in criminal contempt of Congress if they failed to sign the terms by a noon deadline. Their agreement to testify eliminated that possibility, though the Clintons have requested that their appearances be public, according to committee ranking member Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif.
Sources familiar with the negotiations told Politico and The Hill that the committee wants both Clintons to testify under the original subpoena terms, which call for transcribed, filmed depositions with no time limits.
Bill Clinton sought to narrow his testimony to “matters related to the investigations and prosecutions of Jeffrey Epstein.” He also objected to a transcribed interview, requesting instead a deposition under oath with a four-hour time limit.
Hillary Clinton requested submitting a secondary sworn declaration rather than appearing in person for a deposition.
The committee issued subpoenas to both Clintons in August. Bill Clinton has acknowledged past associations with Epstein but has said he ended contact with him in the early 2000s, before Epstein’s crimes were publicly known. Hillary Clinton has said she does not recall ever speaking with Epstein.
Democrats have accused the Republican-led committee of disproportionately targeting the Clintons as part of President Donald Trump’s pursuit of investigations into political rivals, while deflecting attention from Epstein’s ties to prominent Republicans, including the sitting president.
