Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Feb 4: US President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are locked in a disagreement with House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer over the format of testimony sought from them in the investigation linked to late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

According to reports, the Clintons’ legal team has offered to appear before the committee later this month, but has insisted that the testimony be held in an open public hearing. Hillary Clinton has offered to testify on February 26, while Bill Clinton is ready to appear on February 27.

In a letter sent to Comer, the Clintons’ lawyers said public testimony would address concerns about fairness, allowing both questions and answers to be viewed openly.

However, Comer said the Clintons had agreed to appear for transcribed and recorded depositions, which are conducted behind closed doors. He maintained they would be treated the same as other witnesses and added that if anything significant emerged during depositions, the committee could later consider a public hearing.

Hillary Clinton spokesperson Nick Merrill, reacting to Comer’s statement, said the former first couple was willing to testify publicly and even welcomed multiple cameras. Bill Clinton’s spokesperson echoed the message online.

The committee had earlier issued subpoenas and warned of contempt proceedings if the Clintons failed to cooperate. The former President has denied any wrongdoing and said he was unaware of Epstein’s crimes, while Hillary Clinton’s team has questioned her relevance to the probe.