Clintons agree to testify about Epstein in February

by · UPI

Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton agreed to testify in the Epstein investigation by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee in February.

Hillary Clinton agreed to testify on Feb. 26 and Bill Clinton on Feb. 27, committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., announced on Tuesday.

"Republicans and Democrats on the Oversight Committee have been clear: no one is above the law -- and that includes the Clintons," Comer said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon.

"Once it became clear that the House of Representatives would hold them in contempt, the Clintons completely caved and will appear for transcribed, filmed depositions this month."

Related

The Clintons have "been so dishonest about the negotiation process, and their attorneys have been so dishonest about the negotiation process," Comer told The Hill earlier on Tuesday.

The committee sent them the basic standard terms of a congressional deposition," he said.

"They have to sign it, and then if they sign it, then we agree to terms, and we'll be deposing the Clintons in the month."

Angel Urena, a spokesperson for former President Clinton, called Comer disingenuous amid the negotiations Monday.

The Clintons "negotiated in good faith. You did not. They told you under oath what they know, but you don't care," Urena said in a post on X. "But the former president and former secretary of state will be there."

House Speaker Mike Johnson earlier said if the Clintons did not sign the terms by noon, Republicans would move forward with holding them in criminal contempt of Congress.

Agreeing to testify this month negated the potential contempt charges, but the Clintons have asked for their respective hearings to be public, committee ranking member Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., told media.

Unnamed sources familiar with the negotiations told Politico and The Hill that the committee wants the Clintons to accept the terms under which they were initially subpoenaed in the case -- transcribed, filmed depositions with no time limits.

Bill Clinton, however, sought to narrow the focus of the testimony to "matters related to the investigations and prosecutions of Jeffrey Epstein." He also didn't want a transcribed interview, but instead wants a deposition under oath, and sought a 4-hour time limit.

Hillary Clinton sought a secondary sworn declaration instead of appearing in person for a deposition.

The committee issued subpoenas in August compelling the Clintons to testify. Bill Clinton is a former associate of the late Epstein but said he broke off relations with the disgraced financier in the early 2000s before his crimes became publicly known.

Hillary Clinton has said she doesn't recall ever speaking with Epstein.

Democrats have accused the Republican-led committee of trying to focus on the Clintons as part of President Donald Trump's pursuit of investigations of political rivals and to deflect from Epstein's relationships with notable Republicans, including the sitting president.

This week in Washington

President Donald Trump poses with an executive order he signed during a ceremony inside the Oval Office of the White House on Thursday. Trump signed an executive order to create the "Great American Recovery Initiative" to tackle drug addiction. Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UPI | License Photo