Former President Bill Clinton is set to appear before the House Oversight Committee for a closed door deposition tied to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. Lawmakers will question him Friday morning at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center in Westchester County, New York.
Chappaqua has served as the Clintons’ main residence since leaving the White House. Now, it becomes the backdrop for a high profile congressional interview that could stretch for hours.
Republicans and Democrats Prepare Questions
House Republicans have pushed for months to question Clinton about his past connections to Epstein. Committee members negotiated with Clinton’s legal team over the terms of the deposition before finalizing the session.
Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, along with committee staff from each side, plan to take part in the questioning. House Oversight Chairman James Comer said he expects Clinton’s testimony to last even longer than the deposition given by his wife a day earlier.
Importantly, Comer stressed that the committee has not accused either Bill or Hillary Clinton of wrongdoing related to Epstein. Instead, he said the panel wants answers as it works to better understand Epstein’s network and the broader circumstances around his crimes.
Hillary Clinton Criticizes the Investigation
Hillary Clinton testified before the same committee the day before her husband’s scheduled appearance. In her opening remarks, she told lawmakers she did not recall any contact with Epstein and had no additional information beyond what she previously submitted in a January statement.
However, she sharply criticized the probe’s focus on her. She described it as a political distraction rather than a genuine effort to combat human trafficking. According to her remarks, a serious investigation would focus on fixing the system that allowed Epstein to avoid accountability in 2008.
She also argued that Republicans compelled her testimony despite knowing she had no relevant knowledge. In her view, the effort aimed to divert attention from President Donald Trump.
No Allegations of Criminal Conduct
Federal records released in recent years include references to Bill Clinton, including his name and photographs in documents related to Epstein. Flight logs also show that he traveled on Epstein’s plane.
Even so, authorities have not accused Bill or Hillary Clinton of involvement in Epstein’s crimes.
Meanwhile, the committee has interviewed former Attorney General Bill Barr and former Labor Secretary Alex Acosta, both of whom served during the Trump administration.
The depositions follow weeks of tension between the committee and the Clintons. At one point, House members nearly voted to hold both in contempt of Congress for resisting subpoenas. Leaders dropped that effort after the Clintons agreed to cooperate.
Now, lawmakers from both parties will question the former president directly as the investigation continues
