Former President Bill Clinton is set to give private testimony on Friday morning to a congressional oversight panel about his past ties to Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in custody in 2019. The closed-door session, scheduled for 11 a.m. ET (1600 GMT), follows an appearance on Thursday by his wife, who told the committee she did not recall meeting Epstein and had no information to offer about his sex crimes.
Clinton previously flew on Epstein's private plane on multiple occasions in the early 2000s after leaving the presidency, and Justice Department documents released in recent months include photographs of Clinton with women whose faces have been redacted. Clinton has denied any wrongdoing and has said he regrets having associated with Epstein.
The House Oversight Committee is conducting the inquiry under Republican leadership. The panel's chairman, Representative James Comer of Kentucky, has stated that the Clintons are not being accused of criminal conduct but that they need to answer questions about Epstein's interactions with their charitable foundation. The Clintons agreed to appear for testimony near their Chappaqua, New York, residence after the House said it might hold them in contempt for not cooperating; the move drew support from some Democrats.
Both Clintons have criticized the Republican-led effort, characterizing it as a partisan exercise they say is intended to shield President Donald Trump from equivalent scrutiny. They pointed to the fact that other individuals involved in the inquiry were permitted to submit written statements rather than appear in person.
Democrats on the committee have urged the panel also to subpoena Mr. Trump, noting that his name appears frequently in the Epstein-related files that have come to light. The records show that Trump socialized with Epstein extensively during the 1990s and 2000s, prior to Epstein's 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
In addition to the calls to subpoena the former president, Democrats have accused the Justice Department under Mr. Trump of withholding records related to a woman who has accused the former president of sexually abusing her when she was a minor. The Justice Department has said it is reviewing the material cited and will publish it if it determines that is appropriate.
The department has also cautioned that some of the material it has released contains unsubstantiated accusations and sensational claims about Mr. Trump, and federal authorities have not charged him with any crimes in connection with Epstein. Epstein died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges; his death was ruled a suicide.
Context and process
The private testimony by Clinton comes amid a broader set of inquiries and document releases centering on Epstein and the social and political networks connected to him. Committee actions have included requests for testimony and document production, and tensions between committee Republicans and Democrats have framed many of the public exchanges about the probe. Where committee members differ is how to handle witnesses and what additional subpoenas to issue.
What stayed constant in public statements
- Clinton maintains he did not engage in criminal activity and has expressed regret for his past association with Epstein.
- Republican leaders of the committee say the Clintons are not accused of misconduct but must address questions about Epstein and their foundation.
- Democrats have pushed for expanded scrutiny, including subpoenas for others whose names appear in the files, and have raised concerns about withheld Justice Department materials.
As the committee proceeds, its decisions on subpoenas, releases of additional records and the handling of testimony will determine how much new information becomes public. For now, the private session with the former president represents another step in a contentious investigation that has drawn attention across the political spectrum.