Former President Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have agreed to testify before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee as part of the panel\u2019s investigation into the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The news marks a stunning about-face that came after months of negotiations and as the House Rules Committee was preparing to tee up floor votes on potentially holding the two in contempt of Congress. The House Oversight Committee voted last month to advance the contempt resolutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey negotiated in good faith. You did not. They told you under oath what they know, but you don\u2019t care,\u201d Clinton spokesperson Angel Ure\u00f1a wrote on the social platform X in response to a post from Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.). \u201cBut the former President and former Secretary of State will be there. They look forward to setting a precedent that applies to everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Comer appeared to learn the news in real time during the Rules Committee meeting on Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The moment got heated, with Democrats demanding to know whether the panel would move forward with the contempt resolution and Comer responding that he hadn\u2019t yet seen the letter from the Clintons\u2019 lawyers and would need to review it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) appeared to learn the news in real time during the Rules Committee meeting on Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The moment got heated, with Democrats demanding to know whether the panel would move forward with the contempt resolution and Comer responding that he hadn\u2019t yet seen the letter from the Clintons\u2019 lawyers and would need to review it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Clintons\u2019 counsel has said they agree to terms, but those terms lack clarity yet again and they have provided no dates for their depositions,\u201d Comer said in a statement shortly after. \u201cThe only reason they have said they agree to terms is because the House has moved forward with contempt. I will clarify the terms they are agreeing to and then discuss next steps with my committee members.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Comer earlier on Monday had rejected an earlier offer from the Clintons, calling it \u201cunreasonable\u201d in a letter to the Clintons\u2019 attorneys and saying the Clintons\u2019 \u201cdesire for special treatment is both frustrating and an affront to the American people\u2019s desire for transparency.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), the ranking member of the Oversight Committee, on Monday evening said the Clintons in their latest letter accepted each of the demands Comer outlined in his own letter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Clintons have offered to testify fully to every single request from Chairman Comer and the Republicans. So they\u2019ve accepted the full offer,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd like we\u2019ve said, and we\u2019ve said from day one, that we are and have always wanted to hear from President Clinton. We\u2019ve been encouraging him to testify. We\u2019ve been encouraging Comer to cut a deal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n