Former US President Bill Clinton and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, will finally testify before a committee of the US Congress in connection with the case of the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. TASR informs about it based on the reports of AFP and Reuters and NBC News.
- Bill and Hillary Clinton will testify before the US Congress regarding the Epstein case.
- The Clintons initially refused to testify, accusing Republicans of political bias.
- Contempt of Congress is punishable by imprisonment and a fine.
The Clintons will testify
“They told you under oath what they know, but you don’t care. The former president and the former secretary of state will be there. They are looking forward to setting a precedent that will apply to everyone,” Angel Ureňa, the spokesman, responded on the social network of X ex-presidents to the contribution of the House Oversight Committee, according to which the Clintons are “trying to avoid the charge of contempt of Congress by asking for special treatment.”
The Clintons refused to testify in January, arguing that their subpoena was targeted and that Republicans were trying to put them in jail. The Republican leadership of the committee therefore wanted to initiate contempt of Congress proceedings against the ex-president and his wife. In the letter, the Clintons criticized committee chairman James Comer, who they say is overseeing a politically motivated process.
Contempt of Congress?
The resolution for contempt of Congress must be approved by the House of Representatives and then forwarded to the Ministry of Justice, which will decide on possible criminal prosecution. Contempt of Congress is punishable by up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.
The AFP agency reminds that the Oversight Committee is investigating Epstein’s ties to influential figures and how US authorities handled information about his crimes. Clinton was never charged with wrongdoing in connection with Epstein. In the 1990s, he became friends with the late financier, as evidenced by many photographs.
Cause Epstein
Convicted sexual predator and pedophile Epstein was known for his contacts with high-ranking people in the US and the world, including President Donald Trump, who has long tried to keep the files secret, AFP reports. Comer said the committee would not try to subpoena Trump, arguing that it cannot compel a sitting president to testify.
According to the investigation, Epstein built an illegal network in which he provided underage girls to wealthy people. In 2019, he hanged himself in his cell in a New York prison. Many people believe that he was actually murdered so that he could not testify about his prominent clients.
