Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are scheduled to give closed-door depositions before the House Oversight Committee later this month as part of its investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
House Oversight Chair James Comer announced that the former president is expected to appear on February 27, while the former secretary of state is set for February 26. The agreement was reached shortly before the House was expected to vote on holding the Clintons in contempt of Congress for failing to comply with earlier subpoenas.
Initially, the Clintons’ legal team argued that the subpoenas were invalid and objected to what they described as unequal treatment, noting that some other individuals involved in the probe were allowed to submit written testimony instead of appearing in person. After missing previously scheduled deposition dates, the oversight panel voted in a bipartisan manner to move forward with contempt proceedings.
As the full House prepared for a possible contempt vote, the Clintons’ attorneys sought a compromise, offering voluntary appearances under specific conditions regarding format, scope, attendance, and transcription. Comer rejected those proposals, insisting on closed-door depositions conducted under oath, recorded on video, transcribed, and without time limits. Ultimately, the Clintons agreed to those terms.
Representative Robert Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the panel, confirmed that the Clintons accepted the conditions outlined by Comer. While Democrats have expressed interest in public hearings, Comer indicated that the committee will first proceed with private depositions, as required by the original subpoenas. He added that public hearings could be considered afterward.
The controversy surrounding the contempt vote revealed divisions among Democrats on the committee. Several supported the contempt measure, while senior party leaders criticized it as politically motivated.
During the depositions, both Clintons are expected to answer questions about their past interactions with Epstein. Bill Clinton has consistently denied any wrongdoing. His representatives have stated that he severed ties with Epstein before Epstein was charged in 2006 and that he was unaware of Epstein’s criminal conduct.
Recent disclosures from the Justice Department have shed additional light on communications involving Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving a prison sentence for sex trafficking. The newly released materials reportedly include correspondence between Maxwell and members of Clinton’s staff in the early 2000s, as well as travel records indicating that Bill Clinton flew multiple times on Epstein’s private aircraft during that period.
The depositions are expected to be closely watched, as lawmakers continue to examine connections between prominent public figures and Epstein.