Clintons set to testify — Hillary Clinton appears Thursday

Hillary Clinton will give a deposition on Thursday in Chappaqua, New York, as part of a congressional investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. Her husband, Bill Clinton, will follow on Friday. The couple agreed with House Oversight Chairman Rep. James Comer on five topic areas that may be covered during their testimony, and both will be accompanied by their lawyers, David Kendall and Cheryl Mills.

The decision to comply came after the House moved toward a bipartisan vote to hold the Clintons in contempt of Congress. “No one is accusing the Clintons of any wrongdoing,” Comer said, but he added, “We just have a lot of questions.”

The five agreed topics for the depositions

The Clintons and committee members agreed the depositions would focus on:

alleged mismanagement of the federal government’s investigation into Epstein and Maxwell;
the circumstances and subsequent investigations of Epstein’s 2019 death;
ways the federal government could effectively combat sex-trafficking rings;
how Epstein and Maxwell sought to curry favor to protect their illegal activities; and
potential violations of ethics rules related to elected officials.

These topic areas reflect both survivor demands for accountability and congressional interest in how investigations were handled.

Why the depositions matter to survivors and lawmakers

Epstein survivors and lawyers said the Clintons’ testimony could help clarify connections and timelines. Jennifer Plotkin, who represents numerous survivors, said Bill Clinton’s ties to Epstein — including traveling on Epstein’s private plane at least 16 times and appearing in DOJ-released files with women in a jacuzzi — make it important for him to share what he knows. Bill Clinton has not been accused by law enforcement of wrongdoing related to Epstein; a spokesperson says he cut ties before Epstein’s 2019 arrest.

Survivors worry that if prominent figures ignore subpoenas, others will follow. “If they get away with it, then everybody’s going to follow in their footsteps,” survivor Sharlene Rochard said. Another survivor, Liz Stein, urged that questioning not stop with the Clintons, calling for a broader focus on other people connected to Epstein.

Negotiations, contempt votes and a changed political climate

The path to in-person depositions was contentious. The Clintons initially resisted appearing, proposing written statements or voluntary interviews with strict limits. Republicans rejected those off-ramps. As the committee advanced contempt referrals, the Clintons agreed to Comer’s terms and the contempt effort was paused.

The standoff exposed shifting political dynamics. Several House Democrats joined Republicans in supporting contempt efforts; nine Democrats voted to hold the former president in contempt in committee, and three Democrats voted to hold Hillary Clinton in contempt. Some Democratic leaders — including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — privately criticized members who backed contempt votes. Rep. Rashida Tlaib urged that “the survivors deserve transparency and justice,” saying subpoenas should be respected regardless of party.

Younger Democrats, many of whom were not in Congress during past Clinton-era fights, appeared less inclined to protect the Clintons. Rep. Yassamin Ansari described the internal debates as difficult, noting generational differences in how lawmakers view the Clinton era and the Epstein case.

How both sides view the depositions

Republicans framed the depositions as a necessary step to obtain answers. Comer said the Clintons “completely caved” when they agreed to appear on his terms. Some Democrats, like Rep. Robert Garcia, said they wanted the Clintons to testify but had preferred different negotiations over format and location. Garcia also said Bill Clinton might be in a long day of questioning and could help explain whether Epstein had any foreign ties or intelligence connections.

Other Democrats called the push to depose Hillary Clinton politically motivated. Rep. James Walkinshaw accused Republicans of having “fever dreams about locking her up” and said the deposition effort was purely political.

What to expect at the depositions

The sessions will be videotaped. Republican committee staff aim to release the video within days of the interviews, a source told CNN. The Clintons have been preparing by refreshing memories of the Epstein years and planning defenses against hostile questioning. Their separate depositions acknowledge that each may provide very different information to the committee.

The bigger picture: survivors, politics and accountability

For survivors, the depositions are about more than politics — they are about transparency and the hope that powerful people will answer questions. Some lawmakers and advocates say that cooperation with subpoenas preserves the authority of Congress and respects victims who want answers.

The Clinton depositions are a reminder that the Epstein saga has changed political calculations. Where past Clinton controversies played out in a different era, today a broad coalition of voices. Including survivors and younger lawmakers — shapes how inquiries proceed.

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