BILL AND HILLARY Clinton will testify in a US House investigation surrounding late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a spokesman for the ex-president said, following a potential vote to hold the couple in contempt of court after their initial refusal.

The pair had originally refused to appear before lawmakers examining how authorities handled earlier investigations into Epstein, who had connections and correspondence with the world’s business and political elite.

The Republican-led House Oversight Committee said it would begin contempt proceedings after the 79-year-old former president did not show up for closed-door testimony scheduled in January.

“The former President and former Secretary of State will be there. They look forward to setting a precedent that applies to everyone,” Clinton spokesman Angel Urena said on X.

The announcement was made in response to a post from the Oversight Committee criticising the Clintons.

“After defying lawful subpoenas, Bill and Hillary Clinton are trying to dodge contempt by requesting special treatment,” it said.

The House Rules Committee had advanced resolutions accusing the Clintons of defying subpoenas to appear in person to explain their links to Epstein, who died in custody in 2019.

They negotiated in good faith. You did not.

They told you under oath what they know, but you don’t care.

But the former President and former Secretary of State will be there.

They look forward to setting a precedent that applies to everyone. https://t.co/iO67XjNFsT

— Angel Ureña (@angelurena) February 2, 2026

The Epstein affair continues to cast a long shadow over Washington, entangling some of the most prominent names in US politics and highlighting the sharp partisan battles that have shaped the scandal.

Democrats say the probe is being weaponised to attack political opponents of President Donald Trump – himself a longtime Epstein associate who has not been called to testify – rather than to conduct legitimate oversight.

Trump spent months trying to block the disclosure of investigative files linked to Epstein, who moved in elite circles for years, cultivating ties with billionaires, politicians, academics and celebrities.

Democratic divisions

Neither Trump nor the Clintons have been accused of criminal wrongdoing related to Epstein’s activities.

In letters where they initially refused to appear in Washington, the Clintons had argued that the subpoenas were invalid because they lacked a clear legislative purpose.

Republicans say the Democratic couple’s past links to the business tycoon, including Bill Clinton’s use of his private jet in the early 2000s, justify in‑person questioning under oath.

Instead, the couple submitted sworn written statements describing their knowledge of Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking.

Bill Clinton acknowledged flying on Epstein’s plane for Clinton Foundation-related humanitarian work, but said he never visited his private island.

Hillary Clinton said she had no meaningful interactions with Epstein, never flew on his plane and never visited his island.

After the Clintons agreed to testify, the Rules Committee decided Monday evening to suspend for the time being its vote on the contempt proceedings.

The vote and its targeting of the Clintons could have exposed divisions among congressional Democrats.

Some Democrats have privately acknowledged that their party has long argued no one should be beyond scrutiny in efforts to uncover the full scope of Epstein’s crimes.

But others feared that advancing the contempt resolutions would have played into a partisan strategy to shift attention away from Trump’s past contacts with Epstein.

The Justice Department released last week what it said would be the final batch of files related to the investigation into Epstein.

With additional reporting from AFP