Hillary Clinton called for a public hearing before the House Oversight Committee in its ongoing investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, declaring that she and former President Bill Clinton are ready to testify openly with cameras rolling.
In a statement, Clinton said, “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. So let’s stop the games. If you want this fight, @RepJamesComer, let’s have it—in public. You love to talk about transparency. There’s nothing more transparent than a public hearing, cameras on. We will be there.”
So let’s stop the games.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) February 5, 2026
If you want this fight, @RepJamesComer, let’s have it—in public.
You love to talk about transparency. There’s nothing more transparent than a public hearing, cameras on.
We will be there.
The comment came amid a recent agreement that the Clintons would appear for transcribed and filmed depositions before the committee later this month, averting a potential contempt of Congress vote. Former President Clinton is scheduled to testify on February 27, 2026, while Hillary Clinton is set for February 26. The sessions are planned as closed-door depositions under oath, though Clinton is pushing for them to proceed publicly instead.
The developments follow months of negotiations and tension. The House Oversight Committee, led by Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.), had issued bipartisan subpoenas requiring the Clintons to appear for depositions as part of its probe into Epstein’s crimes and related matters, including federal efforts to counter international sex-trafficking networks, Hillary Clinton’s knowledge of Ghislaine Maxwell, and the family’s past association with Epstein. Epstein, a convicted sex offender, died in prison in 2019.
Comer had rejected an earlier offer from the Clintons’ lawyers for a limited interview arrangement in New York, describing it as “unreasonable” and insisting on standard depositions with official transcripts and broader committee participation. He stated that the Clintons’ position suggested they believed their last name entitled them to special treatment. Comer also noted former President Clinton’s past history of parsing language under oath.
🚨🚨🚨
— Rep. James Comer (@RepJamesComer) January 20, 2026
Facing contempt of Congress, the Clintons’ lawyers made an untenable offer: that I travel to New York for a conversation with President Clinton only. No official transcript would be recorded and other Members of Congress would be barred from participating. I have rejected…
The committee had been preparing to advance a contempt resolution, which could have led to a full House vote and potential referral to the Justice Department for prosecution, with penalties including fines up to $100,000 and up to a year in prison. After the committee recommended contempt in January and with a vote looming this week, the Clintons agreed to the depositions, leading Comer to announce that they had “caved” under the pressure.
The Clintons have previously submitted sworn legal statements on the Epstein matter and have denied any wrongdoing. They have stated that Bill Clinton cut off contact with Epstein two decades ago and never visited his private island. Spokespeople for the Clintons have described the proceedings as politically motivated, with one saying the effort was not about Epstein’s victims but about using Bill Clinton for other purposes, and another calling Hillary Clinton a bargaining chip that could set a dangerous precedent.
The name Clinton appears frequently in recently released Epstein-related files, mentioned 3,295 times across various documents, though no allegations of criminal wrongdoing have been tied to either former president or former secretary of state in connection with Epstein’s offenses.
Clinton’s call for a public format underscores the ongoing dispute over how the testimony should be conducted, with the former secretary of state framing it as a matter of true transparency. The committee has indicated that depositions will proceed as planned, with the possibility of a later public hearing. The Epstein investigation continues to draw attention given the financier’s associations with prominent figures and the broader implications for accountability in high-profile cases.
