Bill Clinton to Testify Before Congress

While a former president testifying before Congress is rare, it is not unprecedented. The last to do so was Gerald Ford, who in 1974 voluntarily appeared before a House subcommittee to explain his pardon of Richard Nixon. Other former presidents, including Theodore Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman, also testified on various matters after leaving office. Bill Clinton's appearance, however, marks the first time a former president has been compelled to testify before Congress by a subpoena. He and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton initially fought the subpoenas, which were issued by the Republican-led House Oversight Committee, but ultimately agreed to testify after the committee moved to hold them in contempt of Congress. The committee's investigation focuses on how Epstein acquired his wealth and influence. Hillary Clinton testified for six hours the day before her husband, during which she reportedly told the committee over a dozen times, "You'll have to ask my husband," in response to questions. Clinton's documented relationship with Epstein began in the early 1990s and continued into the early 2000s. Public records show Epstein donated to Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign, and in 1993, Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell attended a White House donors' event. After leaving office, Clinton took four trips on Epstein's private jet in 2002 and 2003 for work related to the Clinton Foundation. A spokesperson for the former president has stated that Clinton had no knowledge of Epstein's "terrible crimes" and has not spoken with him in more than a decade. The depositions are taking place behind closed doors in Chappaqua, New York, where the Clintons reside. The committee, chaired by Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), is expected to release transcripts and video of the testimony to the public in the coming days.