Clintons Agree to Testify About Epstein

Bill and Hillary Clinton have agreed to sit for depositions before the House Oversight Committee in its investigation related to Jeffrey Epstein, backing off their months-long refusal to comply with subpoenas from Chairman James Comer. The decision came after the committee, with some Democratic support, recommended that the House hold the former president and former secretary of state in criminal contempt of Congress, a step that could have sent the matter to the Justice Department, the New York Times reports.

In an email sent Monday night, their lawyers said the Clintons would appear for depositions on dates to be arranged and asked that contempt proceedings be dropped. The House Rules Committee already had resolutions to hold the Clintons in criminal contempt under consideration, per USA Today. A statement from their spokesmen accused Comer of refusing to negotiate in good faith but said the Clintons "will be there." The move follows a standoff in which the Clintons argued the subpoenas were invalid and politically motivated, while seeking limits on the duration and scope of any questioning.

Their lawyers had proposed a four-hour transcribed session with Bill Clinton and a sworn written statement from Hillary Clinton, or an in-person interview with her if necessary. Comer rejected the offer and would not confine topics to Epstein-related matters. On Monday, the Clintons dropped their conditions, per the Times, accepting open-ended questioning with no time cap, with the location set in New York. Comer maintains that their testimony is vital to understanding how Epstein sought favor with powerful figures to avoid legal scrutiny, per USA Today.