Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have agreed to testify before the House Oversight Committee in connection with its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, backing down just hours before lawmakers were set to advance contempt of Congress proceedings against them.
The decision, confirmed Monday, came as the House Rules Committee prepared to set the framework for contempt votes that could have been held as early as Wednesday. Republican leaders subsequently paused those plans to assess whether the Clintons’ offer meets the committee’s requirements.
Angel Ureña, a spokesperson for Bill Clinton, confirmed the agreement in a sharply worded social media post addressed to Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer. Ureña said the Clintons had agreed to appear for depositions in Washington, describing their move as an effort to “set a precedent that applies to everyone.” He added that the couple had negotiated in good faith, accusing Comer of failing to do the same.
Chairman Comer responded with caution, saying the proposal lacked specificity, including firm dates for the depositions. He argued that the Clintons only agreed after the committee moved forward with contempt measures and said he would seek clarification on the exact terms before deciding on next steps.
House Rules Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx announced that consideration of the contempt resolutions would be postponed for now but warned that the panel would reconvene if meaningful compliance was not reached quickly.
Top Oversight Committee Democrat, Representative Robert Garcia of California, said the Clintons had accepted all the conditions laid out by Comer. He warned that pushing ahead with contempt votes despite the agreement would suggest political motivations rather than a genuine interest in testimony.
Political tensions and Epstein links
The Clintons have consistently argued that the subpoenas lack a legitimate legislative purpose and are politically motivated. They have accused Republicans of using the investigation to target political opponents at the direction of President Donald Trump.
Both Bill and Hillary Clinton maintain they had no knowledge of Epstein’s criminal activities. Bill Clinton has never been accused of wrongdoing by Epstein’s victims and has said he cut ties with the financier more than 20 years ago.
Flight records show Clinton traveled on Epstein’s private jet several times in 2002 and 2003. Photographs released by the U.S. Justice Department in December show Clinton at Epstein’s estate. Clinton’s representatives said the images predate public knowledge of Epstein’s crimes.
If the depositions go ahead, Bill Clinton would become the first former U.S. president to testify before a congressional committee since Gerald Ford in 1983. Negotiations continue as both sides work to finalize timing and format.
