The Clinton family is trying to reach an agreement on Epstein’s testimony as congressional contempt vote approaches

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were trying to reach an agreement late Monday to comply with a congressional subpoena to testify in a House investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, but the Republican leading the probe said no agreement had been reached.

Rep. James Comer, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, was filing criminal contempt of Congress charges against both Clintons on Monday evening for defying a congressional subpoena when Clinton family spokesman Angel Urena suggested they would testify, posting on social media that the couple “will be there.”

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However, Comer said he would not immediately drop the charges, which could involve the threat of a hefty fine and even prison time if passed by the House and successfully prosecuted by the Justice Department.

“We don’t have anything written,” Comer told reporters, adding that he was open to accepting their offer but “it depends on what they say.”

Earlier Monday, Coomer rejected an offer from the Clinton family’s attorney that Bill Clinton give a written interview and that Hillary Clinton provide a sworn statement.

Read more: The latest release of the Epstein files includes famous names and new details about a previous investigation

The last-minute negotiations came as Republican leaders were advancing the contempt of court resolution through the House Rules Committee — the final hurdle before it heads to the House floor for a vote. If these charges are confirmed, they threaten both Bill and Hillary Clinton with hefty fines and even imprisonment if convicted.

Coomer said on social media that he would insist that Clinton sit and be sworn in before the committee in order to implement the subpoenas issued by the committee. A letter from the committee to the Clinton family’s attorneys states that they have offered Bill Clinton a 4-hour written interview on “matters relating to the investigations and prosecutions of Jeffrey Epstein” and for Hillary Clinton to provide a sworn statement.

“The Clinton family does not have the right to dictate the terms of legal subpoenas,” said Coomer, a Republican from Kentucky.

Read more: Clinton refuses to testify in the House investigation into Epstein

The Republican-controlled Oversight Committee filed criminal contempt of Congress charges last month. Nine of the 21 Democrats on the committee joined Republicans in supporting the charges against Bill Clinton as they called for full transparency in the Epstein investigation. Three Democrats also supported filing charges against Hillary Clinton.

Bill Clinton’s relationship with Epstein has resurfaced as a focal point for Republicans amid the push to hold accountable Epstein, who committed suicide in 2019 in a New York prison cell where he was facing sex trafficking charges.

Clinton, like a host of other powerful men, had a well-documented relationship with Epstein in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He was not accused of wrongdoing in his dealings with the late financier.

Read more: New photos from Epstein’s personal collection show Trump, Clinton and much more

After the Clintons were subpoenaed in August by the House Oversight Committee, their lawyers tried to argue against the validity of the subpoena. However, when Comer threatened to initiate contempt of congressional proceedings, they began negotiating for a compromise.

The Clinton family has remained strongly critical of Coomer’s decision, saying he was bringing politics into the investigation while failing to hold the Trump administration accountable for delays in producing Epstein case files for the Justice Department.

However, the prospect of a vote raises the possibility that Congress will use one of its toughest sanctions against a former president for the first time. Historically, Congress has respected former presidents. None of them were forced to testify before lawmakers, although a few did so voluntarily.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Monday that his caucus will hold a debate on the contempt resolutions later in the week, and his leadership team will decide whether to vote against them.

Jeffries said he had a firm “no” on the contempt and accused Coomer of focusing on political retaliation rather than investigating the delayed release of case files. Democrats also say the Justice Department has not yet released all of the materials it has on the late financier.

“They don’t want a serious interview, they want a charade,” Jeffries said.