Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will testify in an investigation into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The Clintons initially refused to appear before U.S. Congress in person, but had offered to cooperate with the panel virtually.
The prominent Democrats have now agreed to come forward to face questions about their relationship with Epstein.
The pivot came ahead of a planned vote in the Republican-led House of Representatives to hold them in contempt, which could lead to criminal charges.
Background
Jeffrey Epstein was a convicted sex trafficker who died by suicide in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal charges.
He maintained friendships with powerful politicians, celebrities, and business leaders, some of whom have been accused of participating in his crimes.
The Clintons have not been accused of wrongdoing in relation to Epstein. A spokesman said former President Clinton met Epstein several times and flew on his plane four times, but was unaware of his crimes.
Bill Clinton has appeared in photos related to Epstein, including those released by Congress and the U.S. Justice Department this week.
A congressional committee launched an investigation into Epstein last year, subpoenaing (legally compelling) 10 people, including the Clintons, to testify in person.
Committee Chair James Comer (a Republican) has insisted that the investigation cannot be completed without the Clintons’ in-person testimony.
Subpoenas
The Clintons dismissed the subpoenas, describing them as a political ploy ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump to embarrass his rivals.
They said sworn statements already provided to officials were sufficient.
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In a letter dated 31 January, lawyers for the Clintons said they would answer the subpoenas under specific conditions. These included limiting their testimony to four hours in New York and restricting questions to “the investigations and prosecutions of Jeffrey Epstein” alone.
Contempt vote
The committee leading the investigation rejected these proposed conditions.
In a letter replying to their request, Comer said the Clintons’ “desire for special treatment is both frustrating and an affront to the American people’s desire for transparency”.
Last month, the committee initiated proceedings to charge the Clintons with contempt, which could lead to criminal charges.
The House of Representatives was scheduled to vote on the issue this week.
Pivot
On Monday, the Clintons shifted their position and agreed to testify in person.
Legal representatives said the pair had agreed to speak with members of the Committee on “mutually agreeable dates” and asked the House to suspend this week’s contempt vote.
The Clintons’ deputy chief of staff Angel Ureña criticised Republican lawmakers, saying Hillary and Bill have already “told you under oath what they know, but you don’t care.”
“They look forward to setting a precedent that applies to everyone,” Ureña said in a post to X.
House Speaker Mike Johnson welcomed the news as “a good development”.
“We expect everyone to comply with Congress’s subpoenas,” he said.
Neither Comer nor Johnson has confirmed whether Wednesday’s contempt vote will be dropped because of the Clintons’ concession.
