Bill And Hillary Clinton In A Standoff With House Republicans Over Epstein Testimony

WASHINGTON — Former President Bill Clinton and erstwhile Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are successful a standoff pinch House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., complete grounds nan sheet is seeking successful its investigation into nan precocious convicted activity offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The conflict is complete nan format of nan Clintons' grounds to lawmakers. The Clintons' ineligible squad wrote a missive to Comer connected Tuesday offering their nationalist grounds earlier nan committee astatine 2 hearings later this month, according to portions of nan missive shared pinch NBC News.

The erstwhile caput of authorities offered to attest earlier nan sheet connected Feb. 26 and nan erstwhile president offered to attest connected Feb. 27, according to nan letter. A Clinton spokesperson and House Oversight Committee ranking personnel Robert Garcia, D-Calif., confirmed nan dates. While nan missive said they would beryllium disposable for depositions connected those dates, it made clear that they would for illustration to attest successful an unfastened hearing.

“Though you person notably ne'er asked nan Clintons to look successful an unfastened hearing, we now judge that will champion suit our concerns astir fairness," nan missive said. "Their answers, and your questions, tin beryllium seen by each to beryllium judged accordingly."

After nan Clintons told Comer they would attest publicly, however, nan Republican chair announced successful a connection Tuesday that nan 2 had agreed to look for transcribed, filmed depositions later this month. Depositions are conducted down closed doors.

"We look guardant to questioning nan Clintons arsenic portion of our investigation into nan horrific crimes of Epstein and Maxwell, to present transparency and accountability for nan American group and for survivors,” Comer said Tuesday.

Immediately aft nan announcement, Hillary Clinton spokesperson Nick Merrill posted connected X, "At nan 11th hour, James Comer asked for a camera, that’s fine. He tin person 1,000 cameras. The Clintons will do this publicly." Angel Ureña, nan erstwhile president's spokesman, past reposted Merrill's connection with a bid of down arrows pointing to it.

Comer told reporters extracurricular nan Capitol Tuesday day that nan Clintons had agreed to "the rules of a modular deposition, truthful they're not going to beryllium treated immoderate otherwise than anyone else." He said that “if there’s thing meaningful” that arises during nan deposition — which he again noted would beryllium filmed — past Republicans could big nan Clintons for a nationalist hearing.

The erstwhile first mates has been trying to scope an statement pinch nan Oversight Committee to debar a Republican-led House ballot to clasp them some successful contempt of Congress.

The committee had fixed nan Clintons until noon ET connected Tuesday to comply pinch nan panel's lawsuit to look for grounds arsenic portion of nan Epstein probe. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., warned Tuesday greeting that nan House would proceed pinch a level ballot to clasp nan Clintons successful contempt of Congress if they grounded to cooperate. The Oversight sheet had voted past period to urge holding them successful contempt.

It’s incredibly uncommon for either sitting aliases erstwhile presidents to attest earlier Congress. Gerald R. Ford was nan past erstwhile president to do truthful successful 1983 erstwhile he testified earlier a Senate subcommittee astir readying for nan bicentennial of nan Constitution.

On Monday evening, Ureña responded connected X to a missive from Comer, saying that nan couple had agreed to attest successful nan House Epstein investigation.

“They negotiated successful bully faith. You did not," he wrote. "They told you nether oath what they know, but you don’t care. But nan erstwhile President and erstwhile Secretary of State will beryllium there. They look guardant to mounting a precedent that applies to everyone.”

Bill Clinton has said that he was unaware of Epstein's crimes. He has denied immoderate wrongdoing and location has been nary grounds that he was progressive successful Epstein's crimes. Clinton has said that he trim ties pinch Epstein earlier Epstein was charged successful 2006 pinch having activity pinch a minor. Undated photos of nan erstwhile president person appeared successful immoderate of nan Epstein files released by nan Justice Department.

Meanwhile, Merrill said successful December, “Since this started, we’ve been asking what nan hellhole Hillary Clinton has to do pinch this, and he hasn’t been capable to travel up pinch an answer.”