Clintons agree to testify in Epstein investigation

Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have agreed to testify before Congress in an investigation into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, easing a months-long standoff that had brought them close to being held in criminal contempt.

The decision comes just days before the Republican-led House was set to vote on whether to move forward with contempt charges over their refusal to comply with subpoenas from the House Oversight Committee. That vote has now been postponed while lawmakers and the Clintons’ lawyers work out the details of the testimony.

Confirmation came Monday evening from Bill Clinton’s deputy chief of staff, Angel Ureña, who said both Clintons would appear before the panel. “They negotiated in good faith,” Ureña wrote, directing his post at the Oversight Committee. “You did not. They told you under oath what they know, but you don’t care. But the former President and former Secretary of State will be there. They look forward to setting a precedent that applies to everyone.”

Committee chairman James Comer said an agreement is not yet finalized and stressed that nothing has been put in writing. “We don’t have anything in writing,” he told reporters, adding that while he is open to the offer, “it depends on what they say.” Comer has insisted that both Clintons must sit for sworn depositions and has rejected earlier proposals that would have limited Hillary Clinton’s participation to a written statement.

The Oversight Committee had accused the Clintons of defying lawful subpoenas and “trying to dodge contempt by requesting special treatment,” saying, “The Clintons are not above the law.” Comer has repeatedly argued that no one should receive special treatment, noting that subpoenas were approved with bipartisan support.

The investigation focuses on Epstein’s network of associates and how authorities handled earlier cases against him. Epstein died by suicide in a New York jail in 2019 while facing federal sex trafficking charges. Bill Clinton has acknowledged knowing Epstein and flying on his private jet several times in the early 2000s, but has said he knew nothing about Epstein’s crimes and cut off contact long before they became public. Hillary Clinton has said she never met or spoke with Epstein and never traveled on his plane.

Neither Clinton has been accused of wrongdoing by Epstein’s victims.

The looming contempt vote would have been historic, potentially marking the first time Congress advanced criminal contempt proceedings against a former president. As negotiations continued, the House Rules Committee delayed action, with Chairwoman Virginia Foxx saying more time was needed “to clarify with the Clintons what they are actually agreeing to.”

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson welcomed the news, calling it “a good development,” while adding, “We expect everyone to comply with Congress’s subpoenas.” Democrats, meanwhile, have accused Republicans of using the Epstein case to score political points. The Clintons themselves have argued the probe is being run for partisan reasons rather than to uncover facts, writing earlier this year that, “There is no plausible explanation for what you are doing other than partisan politics.”

For now, the threat of contempt remains on hold, but Comer has made clear the committee is ready to revive it if talks fall apart.