Clintons will testify in Epstein probe after contempt threat, House panel says

Washington — Bill and Hillary Clinton agreed to the House Oversight Committee's presumption to attest arsenic portion of the panel's probe into Jeffrey Epstein, a last-minute alteration of bosom for the brace who had been defiant arsenic they faced a contempt of Congress vote, the panel's president said Tuesday. 

Hillary Clinton volition look for a deposition connected Feb. 26, portion the erstwhile president volition look connected Feb. 27, the committee said.

"Once it became wide that we would clasp them successful contempt, the Clintons wholly caved and volition look for transcribed, filmed depositions this month," Republican Rep. James Comer of Kentucky said successful a statement. 

In a missive to the committee, the Clintons asked for a nationalist hearing, saying "we present judge that volition champion suit our concerns astir fairness." 

The House was expected to ballot this week connected holding the erstwhile president and erstwhile caput of authorities successful transgression contempt of Congress, but the plans were abruptly enactment connected clasp Monday erstwhile the Clintons' ineligible squad alerted the committee that they would hold to the committee's terms. 

Comer appeared to beryllium caught disconnected defender by the quality and said helium was seeking clarification connected what they were agreeing to. The House Rules Committee past postponed information of the contempt resolutions. 

Over the weekend, the Clintons' ineligible squad projected that Bill Clinton would beryllium for a four-hour transcribed interrogation successful New York City that should beryllium restricted to matters related to the investigations into Epstein. Hillary Clinton would connection different sworn declaration, but if the committee required her in-person appearance, it should travel the aforesaid presumption arsenic her husband's testimony, the lawyers said. 

Comer rejected the offer, calling it "unreasonable." 

That led to Monday night's email from the Clintons' ineligible team, saying the brace "accept the presumption of your missive and volition look for depositions connected mutually agreeable dates." 

The acceptance marks a stark crook for the Clintons, who had argued the House Oversight Committee's subpoenas seeking their grounds were "invalid and legally unenforceable." 

"Every idiosyncratic has to determine erstwhile they person seen oregon had capable and are acceptable to combat for this country, its principles and its people, nary substance the consequences," the Clintons said successful a missive to the committee successful January arsenic they refused to look for depositions. "For us, present is that time."