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Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have agreed to testify in a House investigation into the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, temporarily halting a Republican-led effort to hold them in contempt of Congress.
Angel Ureña, a spokesperson for Bill Clinton, said Monday that the Clintons had agreed to appear after negotiating with the House Oversight Committee, but accused Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., of acting in bad faith.
“They told you under oath what they know, but you don’t care,” Ureña wrote in a social media post responding to Comer’s letter. “But the former President and former Secretary of State will be there. They look forward to setting a precedent that applies to everyone.”
It was not immediately clear when or where the Clintons will testify.
Comer disputes agreement details
Comer responded Monday night by disputing that a final agreement had been reached, saying the Clintons’ attorneys had failed to provide firm dates or clear terms for the depositions.
“Those terms lack clarity yet again and they have provided no dates for their depositions,” Comer said in a statement. “The only reason they have said they agree to terms is because the House has moved forward with contempt.”
Comer added that he would clarify the conditions under which testimony would occur and then consult with committee members on next steps.
Earlier this month, the House Oversight Committee voted to advance contempt of Congress resolutions against both Clintons. The House Rules Committee met Monday to consider sending the resolutions to the floor for a vote later this week, but suspended consideration after the Clintons signaled their willingness to testify.
Subpoenas tied to Epstein probe
The Clintons were subpoenaed in August as part of the committee’s sweeping investigation into Epstein’s crimes and the government’s handling of related cases. The subpoenas also targeted several former top Justice Department officials, including former Attorneys General Merrick Garland, Loretta Lynch, Eric Holder, William Barr, Jeff Sessions and Alberto Gonzales, as well as former FBI Directors James Comey and Robert Mueller.
The committee has sought testimony “related to the horrific crimes perpetrated by Jeffrey Epstein.”
The renewed congressional push comes amid a massive release of Epstein-related records by the Justice Department. On Friday, the department disclosed more than 3.5 million pages of documents, which Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said represents roughly half of the more than 6 million records collected during years of investigation. Much of the material was heavily redacted.
Clinton ties to Epstein revisited
Previously released Epstein files, first made public in December, included multiple photographs of Bill Clinton. His spokesperson has acknowledged that Clinton flew on Epstein’s private plane in the early 2000s in connection with Clinton Foundation trips, before Epstein was charged with sex crimes.
Bill Clinton has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and has said he severed ties with Epstein well before the financier was accused in 2006 of sexually abusing a minor.
Hillary Clinton has not been accused of any misconduct related to Epstein. In a December statement, her spokesperson Nick Merrill criticized the investigation, saying, “Since this started, we’ve been asking what the hell Hillary Clinton has to do with this, and [Comer] hasn’t been able to come up with an answer.”
Dispute over testimony format
The standoff intensified over the weekend after Comer rejected a proposal from the Clintons’ attorneys.
In a letter sent Saturday, the attorneys offered that Bill Clinton would sit for a four-hour transcribed interview in New York City, limited in scope to Epstein-related investigations and prosecutions.
They also requested that any additional questions for Hillary Clinton be addressed through a supplemental sworn declaration rather than immediate in-person testimony, though they said she would appear if necessary under the same conditions as her husband.
Comer rejected that offer Monday, calling the request that the committee withdraw subpoenas and contempt resolutions before testimony “not reasonable.”
Political and legal stakes
The dispute reflects broader political tensions surrounding the Epstein files, which have reignited scrutiny of powerful figures who once associated with him, despite Justice Department officials maintaining that the evidence does not support new criminal prosecutions.
For Republicans, the Clintons’ testimony represents a high-profile opportunity to press Democrats over Epstein’s connections. For the Clintons, appearing before Congress carries reputational risk even as they insist they have already disclosed all relevant information.
Whether the committee ultimately accepts negotiated testimony or revives contempt proceedings now hinges on whether Comer and the Clintons’ attorneys can agree on firm terms and dates.
