Clintons agree to testify in House Epstein investigation
by Darryl Coote · UPIFeb. 2 (UPI) -- Bill and Hillary Clinton agreed Monday evening to testify in a GOP-led congressional investigation into deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Angel Urena, a spokesperson for former President Bill Clinton, publicly announced that the Democrat couple would testify on social media while chastising House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chair James Comer for being disingenuous during negotiations.
"They negotiated in good faith. You did not. They told you under oath what they know, but you don't care," Urena said on X. "But the former President and former Secretary of State will be there."
Comer, R.-Ky., has sought testimony from the Clintons for months as part of his committee's investigation, which is unfolding amid partisan disputes over Epstein's ties to members of both political parties.
The committee issued subpoenas in August to compel the Clintons to testify, and they were facing potential contempt-of-Congress charges when on Saturday, their lawyers informed the committee in a letter that they agreed to sit for depositions, but under conditions set by their legal team -- terms Comer said he rejected.
"The Clintons are in contempt of Congress. Their attorneys' latest letter makes clear they still expect special treatment because of their last name," Comer said in a social media statement.
"The Clintons do not get to dictate the terms of lawful subpoenas."
According to Comer's response to the Clintons' letter, made public via his committee, former President Bill Clinton had sought to narrow the focus of the testimony to "matters related to the investigations and prosecutions of Jeffrey Epstein."
Other conditions Comer said they could not agree to were a transcribed interview with the former president instead of a deposition under oath that would be conducted only after the withdrawal of the deposition subpoena and a contempt resolution.
Bill Clinton had also requested a four-hour time limit, which Comer said was of "particular concern where a witness, such as President Clinton, has an established record of being a loquacious individual."
The conditions stipulated for former first lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's testimony appeared to include a secondary sworn declaration instead of appearing for a deposition.
"It has been nearly six months since your clients first received the Committee's subpoena, more than three months since the original date of their depositions and nearly three weeks since they failed to appear for their depositions commensurate with the Committee's lawful subpoenas," Comer said.
"Your clients' desire for special treatment is both frustrating and an affront to the American people's desire for transparency."
Bill Clinton is a former associate of Epstein but has said he broke off relations with the disgraced financier in the early 2000s before his crimes became publicly known. Hillary Clinton has reportedly stated she doesn't recall ever speaking with the man.
Democrats have accused Comer and his committee of focusing on the Clintons as part of Trump's pursuit of investigations of political rivals as well as to deflect from Epstein's relationships with notable Republicans, in particular, President Donald Trump, who was a friend of the convicted sex offender going back to the 1980s.
Trump's relationship with Epstein, who died by apparent suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, has dogged the president for years.
He has said he ended his association with Epstein in the early 2000s after Epstein "stole" spa staff from his Mar-a-Lago resort, including Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre, who died by suicide in April. Trump has denied any wrongdoing.