Hillary Clinton wants her Epstein testimony to be public
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called on House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., to allow her and her husband to have a public hearing on the Epstein files Thursday.
Clinton issued the challenge in a post on X, saying Republicans have ignored her and former President Bill Clinton's previous testimony on the topic.
"For six months, we engaged Republicans on the Oversight Committee in good faith. We told them what we know, under oath. They ignored all of it. They moved the goalposts and turned accountability into an exercise in distraction," Hillary wrote.
"So let’s stop the games. If you want this fight, Rep. James Comer, let’s have it—in public," she continued, tagging the committee chairman. "You love to talk about transparency. There’s nothing more transparent than a public hearing, cameras on. We will be there."
Comer announced on Wednesday that the former first lady will sit for a closed-door transcribed interview on Feb. 26, and the former president will appear on Feb. 27 under the same terms. Both interviews will be filmed, Comer said in a press release.
The Clintons were both facing contempt of Congress votes in the House this week if they did not agree to come to Capitol Hill for in-person interviews with the Oversight Committee.
Those votes were likely to succeed as well. Late last month, nine Democrats on the House Oversight Committee joined all Republicans in voting to advance Bill Clinton's contempt of Congress resolution to a House-wide vote. Three Democrats voted to advance the resolution against Hillary Clinton.
A contempt of Congress vote would have referred both Clintons to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for criminal prosecution.
"Republicans and Democrats on the Oversight Committee have been clear: no one is above the law — and that includes the Clintons. After delaying and defying duly issued subpoenas for six months, the House Oversight Committee moved swiftly to initiate contempt of Congress proceedings in response to their non-compliance," Comer said in a statement.
"Once it became clear that the House of Representatives would hold them in contempt, the Clintons completely caved and will appear for transcribed, filmed depositions this month. We look forward to questioning the Clintons as part of our investigation into the horrific crimes of Epstein and Maxwell, to deliver transparency and accountability for the American people and for survivors," he added.
Fox News' Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.