Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is calling for a public hearing after she and former President Bill Clinton agreed to testify before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform as part of its investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Hillary Clinton is scheduled to testify on Feb. 26, with Bill Clinton’s deposition set for the following day.

The agreement came after weeks of negotiations between attorneys for Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) and the Clintons. Comer rejected proposals for written testimony and a closed-door deposition in New York. The couple ultimately accepted Comer’s terms after he began preparing a House vote that could have held them in contempt of Congress.

However, the Clintons now say Comer introduced last-minute conditions requiring the depositions to be recorded on video, prompting them to push instead for an open hearing.

On Thursday morning, Hillary Clinton responded on X to Comer’s claims that the couple had tried to avoid testifying.

“For six months, we worked with Republicans on the Oversight Committee in good faith. We shared what we know, under oath,” she wrote. “They ignored it, shifted the goalposts, and turned accountability into a distraction.”

In a follow-up post, she challenged Comer directly:
“If you want this fight, @RepJamesComer, let’s have it—in public. You talk about transparency. There’s nothing more transparent than a public hearing with cameras rolling. We’ll be there.”

In a letter sent Tuesday, the Clintons’ attorneys accused Comer of adding new requirements—specifically video recording—just before the couple finalized their agreement to testify. The lawyers urged the committee to consider holding a public hearing instead.

“Although you never asked the Clintons to appear in an open hearing, we now believe that approach best addresses concerns about fairness,” they wrote. “Their answers and your questions should be visible to everyone.”

Hillary Clinton spokesperson Nick Merrill echoed that sentiment on X, saying Comer requested cameras at the last minute.
“He can have 1,000 cameras. The Clintons will do this publicly,” Merrill wrote.

The Oversight Committee responded by posting email exchanges with the Clintons’ legal team, asserting that the deposition terms were consistent with those used for other witnesses, including former Attorney General Bill Barr and former Labor Secretary Alex Acosta.

“The Clintons are trying to spin the facts,” the committee wrote. “Their attorneys accepted the deposition terms. The guidance they received clearly mentioned video recording. We’re focused on getting answers for the American people—the full truth.”

Comer has continued to resist calls for a public hearing, emphasizing that the subpoenas were issued for depositions, not hearings. In an interview with Newsmax, he said the videos and transcripts would ultimately be made public.

“Depositions are the best way to obtain substantive information,” Comer said. “Hearings may be entertaining, but they don’t always produce real answers.”

He also described his committee as contentious, saying heated exchanges could interfere with productive questioning.

“We’ll proceed with the depositions,” Comer said. “After that, if the Clintons want further engagement, they’re welcome to appear before the committee.”

Comer added that it would be difficult for the Clintons to invoke the Fifth Amendment if they truly want transparency.

“They’ve said they want the public to see the truth,” he said. “If they refuse to answer questions, that will speak for itself.”

The Clintons have repeatedly denied any knowledge of Epstein’s criminal activities, and no victim has publicly accused either of them of wrongdoing.