Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have agreed to testify in a House investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, a last-minute development that paused efforts by Rep. James Comer to pursue criminal contempt charges against them for previously defying subpoenas. The final agreement and the dropping of charges are still pending.
Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton agreed late Monday to testify in a House investigation concerning convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. This agreement came as Rep. James Comer, chair of the House Oversight Committee, was pushing for criminal contempt of Congress charges against both Clintons for defying congressional subpoenas issued in August. Attorneys for the Clintons informed Comer's staff that the pair would accept demands to appear for depositions on mutually agreeable dates, requesting that Comer halt the contempt proceedings. However, Comer stated he was not immediately dropping the charges, which could lead to significant fines and potential incarceration if passed by the House and prosecuted, as nothing was yet in writing. He indicated openness to the offer but said it 'depends on what they say.' This last-minute negotiation occurred as Republican leaders were advancing a contempt resolution through the House Rules Committee, a move that could have marked the first time a former U.S. president faced such severe congressional punishment. Consequently, the House Rules Committee postponed advancing the contempt resolutions. Earlier, Comer had rejected an offer from the Clintons for Bill Clinton to conduct a transcribed interview and Hillary Clinton to submit a sworn declaration, insisting on sworn depositions. The Clintons had resisted the subpoenas for months, questioning their validity, but began negotiating as the threat of contempt proceedings escalated. The Republican-controlled Oversight committee had already advanced criminal contempt charges last month, with some Democrats joining Republicans in supporting transparency in the Epstein investigation. Republicans have highlighted Bill Clinton's well-documented relationship with Epstein in the late 1990s and early 2000s, though Clinton has not been accused of wrongdoing. The Clintons, through their spokesperson, criticized Comer for politicizing the investigation and failing to hold the Trump administration accountable for delays in producing Justice Department files on Epstein. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries also called the contempt push political retribution and a 'charade,' stating he was a 'hard no' on such resolutions.
