Former US President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have agreed to testify before a US House investigation into the handling of earlier probes involving deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to a spokesman for the former president. The decision averts a potential vote to hold the couple in contempt of Congress.
The Clintons had initially declined to appear before lawmakers reviewing how authorities investigated the disgraced financier, who died in custody in 2019 and maintained ties with influential figures across business and politics.
“The former President and former Secretary of State will be there. They look forward to setting a precedent that applies to everyone,” Clinton spokesman Angel Urena said in a post on X.
The House Rules Committee had advanced resolutions accusing the Clintons of defying subpoenas to testify in person about their connections to Epstein. The case continues to loom large in Washington, ensnaring high-profile political figures and intensifying partisan divisions.
Democrats have accused Republicans of weaponising the inquiry to target political opponents of President Donald Trump, noting that Trump—who had longstanding associations with Epstein—has not been called to testify. They also point to Trump’s past efforts to block the release of Epstein-related investigative files.
Neither Trump nor the Clintons has been accused of criminal wrongdoing connected to Epstein.
In earlier correspondence declining to appear, the Clintons argued the subpoenas were invalid, citing the absence of a clear legislative purpose. Republicans countered that Bill Clinton’s past interactions with Epstein, including flights aboard his private jet in the early 2000s, warranted in-person testimony under oath.
Prior to agreeing to testify, the Clintons submitted sworn written statements outlining their knowledge of Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking.
Bill Clinton confirmed he flew on Epstein’s plane for Clinton Foundation humanitarian work but denied ever visiting Epstein’s private island. Hillary Clinton stated that she had no meaningful interactions with Epstein, never flew on his aircraft and never visited the island.
Following the Clintons’ agreement to testify, the House Rules Committee on Monday evening voted to temporarily suspend contempt proceedings.
The move avoided potential rifts within the Democratic Party. While some Democrats maintain that no individual should be exempt from scrutiny in efforts to uncover the full extent of Epstein’s crimes, others feared the contempt vote would fuel partisan attempts to divert attention from Trump’s past ties to Epstein.
The US Justice Department last week released what it described as the final batch of investigative files related to Epstein.