In a significant development, former US President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary Clinton have agreed to testify in the congressional investigation into late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The decision comes after the Clintons had refused to appear before lawmakers, citing concerns that the probe was being used as a partisan exercise aimed at protecting President Donald Trump, who has long been associated with Epstein.
According to a spokesperson for the ex-president, Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton are willing to set a precedent by cooperating with the investigation. This move could potentially head off a planned vote in the Republican-led House of Representatives to hold the couple in contempt for refusing to testify.
The decision comes after a week where the Oversight Committee recommended that the Clintons be held in contempt for their refusal to testify about their relationship with Epstein. The committee accused the Clintons of "defying lawful subpoenas" and trying to dodge contempt by requesting special treatment.
In a statement, the Oversight Committee said that "the Clintons are not above the law." However, Democrats argue that the House probe is being weaponized to attack political opponents of Trump, rather than conducting legitimate oversight.
Bill Clinton has acknowledged flying on Epstein's plane several times in the early 2000s after leaving office. He expressed regret over the relationship and said he knew nothing about Epstein's criminal activity. Hillary Clinton claimed she had no meaningful interactions with Epstein, never flew on his plane, and never visited his private island.
The move is significant, as it could potentially lead to charges against the Clintons. The investigation into Epstein has already cast a long shadow over US politics, entangling prominent figures including the disgraced former-prince Andrew and ex-UK ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson.
In another development, UK police are reviewing reports of alleged misconduct involving Mandelson, whose name surfaced more than 5,000 times in the US Justice Department files on Epstein. The veteran British politician was fired as ambassador to the US last year after emails came to light that showed him calling Epstein "my best pal" and advising him on seeking early release from prison.
Mandelson has apologized for his actions and denied wrongdoing.
According to a spokesperson for the ex-president, Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton are willing to set a precedent by cooperating with the investigation. This move could potentially head off a planned vote in the Republican-led House of Representatives to hold the couple in contempt for refusing to testify.
The decision comes after a week where the Oversight Committee recommended that the Clintons be held in contempt for their refusal to testify about their relationship with Epstein. The committee accused the Clintons of "defying lawful subpoenas" and trying to dodge contempt by requesting special treatment.
In a statement, the Oversight Committee said that "the Clintons are not above the law." However, Democrats argue that the House probe is being weaponized to attack political opponents of Trump, rather than conducting legitimate oversight.
Bill Clinton has acknowledged flying on Epstein's plane several times in the early 2000s after leaving office. He expressed regret over the relationship and said he knew nothing about Epstein's criminal activity. Hillary Clinton claimed she had no meaningful interactions with Epstein, never flew on his plane, and never visited his private island.
The move is significant, as it could potentially lead to charges against the Clintons. The investigation into Epstein has already cast a long shadow over US politics, entangling prominent figures including the disgraced former-prince Andrew and ex-UK ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson.
In another development, UK police are reviewing reports of alleged misconduct involving Mandelson, whose name surfaced more than 5,000 times in the US Justice Department files on Epstein. The veteran British politician was fired as ambassador to the US last year after emails came to light that showed him calling Epstein "my best pal" and advising him on seeking early release from prison.
Mandelson has apologized for his actions and denied wrongdoing.
... maybe they'll finally spill the tea on epstein's dealings and we can put this whole thing to rest 
... but at the same time, it feels like trump is using his power to try and silence people... or is he just trying to cover his own tracks? 
[
... setting a precedent like this takes a lot of courage, especially when it comes to something as sensitive as Epstein's case 
. It's good that they're willing to cooperate with the investigation, even if they don't think it's fair (which I get, tbh). The fact that the Oversight Committee is trying to make an example out of them just feels like a bunch of drama 
. Can you imagine how hard this must be for their loved ones? The world is watching...
. They've already admitted to some pretty shady behavior with Epstein back in the day. But at the same time, this whole thing feels like a witch hunt to me 
. I mean, the Oversight Committee is being super aggressive and partisan about it. They're basically saying that just because Bill Clinton flew on Epstein's plane a few times, he must be in deep trouble 
.
. This whole thing is getting so convoluted and messy. I'm just waiting to see where this all ends up 
. One thing's for sure, though - it's not going to be good for anyone involved 
.
. The fact that some ppl are trying to use this investigation as an excuse to attack Trump is wild 
.