The chairman of the House Oversight Committee, Congressman James Comer, is ordering President Clinton and the former secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, to give in-person depositions before the panel.

The committee is investigating notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his convicted former partner Ghislaine Maxwell. Mr. Clinton was friends with Epstein after leaving the White House and Maxwell told a Trump administration official during a post-conviction interview that she was friends with Mr. Clinton.

Mr. Clinton and Epstein traveled together multiple times for trips related to the ex-president’s charitable works. The Clintons say they were not aware of the sex-trafficking Epstein and Maxwell were involved with and the Clinton’s are not accused of any wrongdoing.

Mr. Comer says Democrats and Republicans approved subpoenas in July for the couple to appear but he now says, “After good-faith efforts to schedule depositions, further delays aren’t acceptable.”

“Given their history with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, any attempt by the Clintons to avoid sitting for a deposition would be in defiance of lawful subpoenas and grounds to initiate contempt of Congress proceedings,” Mr. Comer added after releasing the letter he sent to a lawyer for the Clintons.

Mr. Comer says that Mr. Clinton’s deposition is scheduled for December 17, 2025, and Ms. Clinton’s deposition is scheduled for December 18, 2025.

The Clintons were initially scheduled to appear in front of the committee in October but that was delayed so the committee could work with their attorney to set dates. Mr. Comer says the time for delays is over.

The committee also subpoenaed several prior government officials, including former attorney general Merrick Garland, former FBI director James Comey, and former attorney general Loretta Lynch. The committee let some people with subpoenas give written testimony but did not extend that offer to the Clintons.

The committee released a large group of records in September that it had received from the Justice Department. Among them was Epstein’s infamous “birthday book” of letters, drawings, and photographs from his friends.

In that book, there were messages apparently from Mr. Clinton and President Trump, though Mr. Trump denies that he ever sent such a letter. 

“Happy 50th,” Mr. Clinton wrote to Epstein in 2003. “It’s heartening, isn’t it, to have lived so long, across all the years of learning and knowing, adventure and work, and still to have your childlike curiosity, the drive to make a difference, and the circle of friends.”

Epstein died in a New York jail cell in August 2019 as he was waiting for trial on sex trafficking charges.

Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking. She has requested a new trial and there is a chance that Mr. Trump could pardon her. Mr. Trump says he would need to consult the Justice Department before making any decision.