Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton have agreed to testify in a congressional investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, just days before the US House of Representatives was expected to vote on holding them in contempt of Congress.
The former president and former secretary of state had previously refused to appear before the House Oversight Committee. Lawmakers were preparing to move forward with a contempt vote this week before the plans were suddenly shelved.
Bill Clinton is set to testify on 27 February, with Hillary Clinton appearing a day earlier. It will mark the first time a former US president has testified before a congressional panel since Gerald Ford in 1983.
House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer said the decision came only after pressure intensified. “Once it became clear that we would hold them in contempt, the Clintons completely caved,” he said, adding that “no one is above the law.”
The Republican-led committee wants the depositions filmed, transcribed, and conducted without time limits. Reports say the Clintons asked for the testimony to be public, though it is unclear whether that request will be granted.
The couple had earlier submitted sworn statements saying they had only limited information about Epstein. They also accused the committee of using the investigation to embarrass political opponents, calling the subpoenas politically motivated.
Bill Clinton has acknowledged knowing Epstein and travelling on his private jet in the early 2000s, but says he cut ties long before Epstein’s crimes became public. Epstein flight logs show Clinton took four international trips between 2002 and 2003, which his team said were connected to Clinton Foundation work.
Neither Bill nor Hillary Clinton has been accused of wrongdoing by Epstein survivors. Hillary Clinton has said she never met or spoke to Epstein, while Bill Clinton has denied any knowledge of Epstein’s abuse.
If the House had approved a contempt resolution, it could have been referred to the Justice Department for possible prosecution. For now, that vote is on hold as the Epstein investigation continues to draw intense political and public attention.
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