Clintons agree to testify as House moves toward contempt in Epstein probe
By Sabiu Abdullahi
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have agreed to testify before the House Oversight Committee as part of its investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after lawmakers initiated steps to hold them in criminal contempt of Congress.
The development followed mounting pressure from the committee, which accused the Clintons of attempting to avoid accountability. In a post on X, the committee said the pair were “trying to dodge contempt by requesting special treatment,” while stressing that “The Clintons are not above the law.”
Confirmation of their appearance came from Angel Ureña, deputy chief of staff to Bill Clinton, who also posted on X.
“They negotiated in good faith. You did not,” Ureña wrote. “But the former president and former Secretary of State will be there and look forward to setting a precedent that applies to everyone.”
The House Oversight Committee is examining what the Clintons may have known about Epstein and his longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell. The inquiry also focuses on Hillary Clinton’s role in supervising U.S. efforts against international sex trafficking during her tenure as secretary of state.
According to a source familiar with the matter, the Clintons’ legal team sent an email to the committee confirming their willingness to testify under conditions outlined by Chairman James Comer of Kentucky.
“Please be advised, and please advise the Chairman, that my clients accept the terms of your letter and will appear for depositions on mutually agreeable dates,” the message stated. “As has been the Committee’s practice, please confirm the House will not move forward with contempt proceedings, as the Chairman stated in his letter this morning.”
Rep. Robert Garcia, the committee’s ranking Democrat, said the communication showed full compliance with the panel’s demands.
“I mean, they sent us and the Republicans affirmation that they’ve accepted every single term that James Comer has asked for, and that they’re willing to come in and testify,” Garcia said.
Chairman Comer, however, disagreed with that assessment. He told Fox News Digital that the response lacked clear details.
“The Clintons’ counsel has said they agree to terms, but those terms lack clarity yet again, and they have provided no dates for their depositions,” Comer said. “The only reason they have said they agree to terms is because the House has moved forward with contempt. I will clarify the terms they are agreeing to and then discuss next steps with my committee members.”
Following the Clintons’ decision, the House temporarily paused efforts to hold them in contempt. The House Rules Committee had been preparing to advance contempt resolutions but reversed course late Monday night. It remains uncertain when, or if, those proceedings will resume.
Democratic members of the committee have also criticized Comer, noting that he has not pursued contempt actions against other witnesses who failed to appear. They further pointed out that no similar threats were made against the Department of Justice, despite its failure to deliver all Epstein-related documents by a congressional deadline. So far, only a portion of the expected records has been released.
The investigation continues as the committee weighs its next steps in the high-profile case.