Thursday, February 5, 2026-House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer has succeeded in compelling former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to agree to testify before Congress in the high-profile investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein — a move lawmakers say marks an unprecedented assertion of congressional subpoena power over past presidents and first ladies.
After months of refusing to appear and offering written statements instead of in-person testimony, the Clintons relented under intense pressure, including the threat of criminal contempt of Congress if they continued to ignore subpoenas issued by Comer’s panel. This development has quickly become one of the most consequential moments in the ongoing scrutiny of Epstein’s elite connections.
The testimony is now scheduled for late February, with Hillary Clinton set to appear on February 26 and Bill Clinton the following day. Comer and other Republicans framed the agreement as a victory for congressional oversight and accountability, asserting that no individual — not even a former president — is above the committee’s authority to demand sworn testimony in critical investigations.
Some Democrats on the committee also supported advancing contempt considerations against the Clintons earlier, arguing that asserting subpoena power uniformly is essential to congressional authority going forward. Many lawmakers on both sides now acknowledge that this moment could shape how future legislative investigations treat former senior officials and political leaders.
Critics argue the fight over testimony has been deeply politicized and unlikely to yield substantive new revelations about the Clintons’ connections to Epstein. Still, legal experts say Comer’s insistence on in-person, transcribed and filmed depositions — rather than accepting written declarations — sets a new precedent for how far Congress can go in compelling testimony from former leaders.
With the hearings looming and national attention focused on how the Epstein probe unfolds, the outcome may influence future congressional investigations into other powerful figures, underscoring a broader tension between legislative oversight and executive branch figures once they leave office.
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