1 of 3 | Former President Bill Clinton and former first lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attend President Donald Trump’s inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on January 20, 2025. House Republicans gave the Clintons until noon Tuesday ago agree to terms for their testimony in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. File Photo by Shawn Thew/UPI | License Photo
House Republicans gave former President Bill Clinton and former first lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton a deadline of noon Tuesday to clarify the terms under which they plan to testify in an investigation into sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The former first couple agreed Monday evening to testify in the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee probe. Committee Chairman James Comer of Kentucky and the Clintons have repeatedly butted heads as they negotiate the details of the testimony.
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 on Tuesday.
“We sent the terms, which are the basic standard terms of a congressional deposition … 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 said if the Clintons don’t sign the terms by the noon deadline, Republicans will move forward with holding them in criminal contempt of Congress.
“We’re holding off until noon,” Johnson said. “They have a deadline until noon to work out the details, and if it’s not done satisfactorily, then we’ll proceed with the contempt.”
Republican leader Steve Scalise said Republicans would hold a contempt vote Wednesday if need be.
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, seeks 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 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
