Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have agreed to testify before the House Oversight Committee regarding their past associations with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his longtime accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, a last-minute concession that comes just days before a scheduled contempt of Congress vote.
The development was revealed Monday during a House Rules Committee hearing, as Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) continued his push to hold the Clintons in contempt for months-long noncompliance with congressional subpoenas. Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-Va.) confirmed that the couple had accepted Comer’s latest terms for depositions, stating that the Clintons had agreed to appear under oath before the panel.
A spokesperson for Bill Clinton appeared to corroborate the agreement shortly after. Writing on X, Angel Urena accused Comer of acting in bad faith throughout negotiations but confirmed that both Clintons would participate. “The former President and former Secretary of State will be there,” Urena wrote, adding that the Clintons “look forward to setting a precedent that applies to everyone.”
According to reporting by The New York Times, the Clintons offered to appear for depositions on mutually agreeable dates and requested that the House abandon a contempt vote expected later this week. The request comes amid unusual bipartisan momentum against the former first couple: nine Democrats on the Oversight Committee previously voted with Republicans to support holding Bill Clinton in contempt, while three Democrats backed contempt proceedings against Hillary Clinton.
The subpoenas were first issued by Comer on August 5, 2025, nearly six months ago. Both Clintons publicly missed their initial deadlines to provide testimony, prompting Comer to escalate the matter. On Monday, however, the chairman remained skeptical of the sudden reversal.
“The only reason they have said they agree to terms is because the House has moved forward with contempt,” Comer said in a statement. He added that the Clintons’ attorneys had not yet provided firm dates for depositions and that the terms of their agreement still lacked clarity.
Earlier in the day, Comer had rejected a separate proposal from the Clintons that sought to limit the scope and duration of Bill Clinton’s testimony and substitute Hillary Clinton’s deposition with a sworn written declaration. Comer argued that such conditions amounted to special treatment and failed to meet the committee’s need for transparency, noting that a proposed four-hour cap on Bill Clinton’s testimony would be insufficient.
The latest offer reportedly arrived while Comer was testifying before the Rules Committee, prompting a temporary recess to allow him time to review the new proposal. Whether the contempt vote will proceed as scheduled now remains uncertain, as committee leaders weigh whether the Clintons’ agreement satisfies the demands of the investigation.
The Oversight Committee’s inquiry centers on Epstein’s political connections and whether powerful figures received preferential treatment or avoided scrutiny prior to his death in federal custody in 2019.