[00:00] Elise Moreau: From Neural Newscast, I'm Elise Moreau.
[00:03] Evelyn Hartwell: And I'm Evelyn Hartwell.
[00:05] Elise Moreau: Bill and Hillary Clinton agreed late Monday to testify in the House investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.
[00:12] Elise Moreau: This announcement arrived as the House Oversight Committee prepared to vote on criminal contempt of Congress charges.
[00:20] Elise Moreau: Attorneys for the Clintons informed the panel that both will now appear for depositions.
[00:25] Elise Moreau: These will take place on mutually agreeable dates.
[00:29] Elise Moreau: This shift follows months of legal resistance.
[00:32] Elise Moreau: The former President and Secretary of State previously questioned the validity of the subpoenas.
[00:38] Elise Moreau: Now, the threat of potential fines or even incarceration appears to have moved the needle on these negotiations.
[00:46] Evelyn Hartwell: Chairman James Comer says the agreement is not yet final.
[00:50] Evelyn Hartwell: He told reporters on Monday evening that he has not yet received a formal written agreement to drop the contempt charges.
[00:58] Evelyn Hartwell: Previously, the Clintons offered a four-hour interview for Bill and a sworn declaration for Hillary.
[01:05] Evelyn Hartwell: Chairman Comer rejected that proposal.
[01:08] Evelyn Hartwell: He insisted that both sit for full depositions under oath.
[01:12] Evelyn Hartwell: The House Rules Committee has since postponed the advancement of the contempt resolutions.
[01:18] Evelyn Hartwell: This allows time for the final details to be settled between the parties.
[01:22] Elise Moreau: There is a notable sense of bipartisan pressure building within the Oversight Committee.
[01:27] Elise Moreau: Nine Democrats recently joined Republicans to support the charges against Bill Clinton.
[01:32] Elise Moreau: They cited a need for full transparency.
[01:35] Elise Moreau: Many Democrats still view the probe as politically motivated.
[01:39] Elise Moreau: However, the drive to uncover the truth about Epstein's associates remains a powerful force.
[01:45] Elise Moreau: It is rare to see the House move so close to holding a former president in contempt.
[01:50] Elise Moreau: Such a move breaks decades of traditional deference.
[01:53] Elise Moreau: The outcome of these upcoming depositions will likely shape the public understanding of the Epstein files for years to come.
[02:02] Evelyn Hartwell: Next, the committee will focus on the release of final case files from the Department of Justice.
[02:08] Evelyn Hartwell: House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries remains critical of the process.
[02:12] Evelyn Hartwell: He describes the current pursuit as a political charade.
[02:15] Evelyn Hartwell: He argues that the focus should remain on why the previous administration delayed producing essential records.
[02:22] Evelyn Hartwell: Still, the agreement for testimony represents a major step forward for the Republican-led probe.
[02:28] Evelyn Hartwell: We are watching for the announcement of specific deposition dates as the legal teams finalize their schedules this week.
[02:35] Evelyn Hartwell: I'm Evelyn Hartwell.
[02:36] Elise Moreau: And I'm Elise Moreau.
[02:39] Elise Moreau: Thank you for listening.
[02:40] Elise Moreau: Neural Newscast is AI-assisted, human-reviewed.
[02:45] Elise Moreau: View our AI transparency policy at neuralnewscast.com.