Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have agreed to testify before the House Oversight Committee later this month, following weeks of contentious negotiations that nearly resulted in contempt of Congress charges against the political power couple.

Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) announced that Hillary Clinton will participate in a closed-door transcribed interview on February 26, followed by Bill Clinton on February 27. Both sessions will be filmed, according to the committee’s press release.

The breakthrough agreement comes as House Republicans had scheduled contempt votes against both Clintons for this week. These votes were expected to pass, as demonstrated by committee-level votes last month where nine Democrats joined Republicans in advancing the contempt resolution against Bill Clinton, while three Democrats supported similar action against Hillary Clinton.

Had the contempt resolutions passed the full House, both Clintons would have been referred to the Department of Justice for potential criminal prosecution.

The investigation centers on the Clintons’ connections to the late Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender whose 2019 death in federal custody was ruled a suicide. The committee has been examining these ties as part of a broader Republican-led inquiry that has generated significant political controversy.

The scheduled depositions represent a significant development in the oversight investigation that has been characterized by legal and political maneuvering from both sides. Republicans have insisted on in-person testimony, while the Clintons’ legal team had reportedly sought alternative arrangements, including potentially responding to written questions.

This investigation comes during a period of heightened partisan scrutiny of political figures. The Republican-controlled House has launched several high-profile investigations into Democratic politicians and their associates since taking the majority following the 2022 midterm elections.

For the Clintons, who have remained influential figures in Democratic politics despite stepping back from direct political roles, the depositions mark another chapter in their decades in the public eye. Bill Clinton served as president from 1993 to 2001, while Hillary Clinton served as Secretary of State under President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013 before becoming the Democratic presidential nominee in 2016.

The committee’s decision to conduct the interviews behind closed doors with transcription, rather than in public hearings, reflects a common investigative approach that allows for more detailed questioning without the time constraints and political theater that often characterize public congressional hearings.

Legal experts note that congressional depositions, while not conducted under the same rules as court proceedings, still require truthful testimony, with potential legal consequences for false statements.

The agreement to testify comes after months of legal wrangling between the committee and the Clintons’ representatives over the scope and format of any testimony. Chairman Comer has maintained that the investigation serves legitimate oversight purposes, while Democrats on the committee have criticized the probe as politically motivated.

Whatever emerges from these depositions could have significant implications for both the Clintons and for ongoing political narratives. The committee is expected to release transcripts or findings from the interviews at some point after their conclusion, though the timing and extent of such releases remain uncertain.

The scheduled interviews represent just the latest instance of the Clintons facing congressional scrutiny, following numerous investigations throughout their political careers, including the Benghazi hearings that examined Hillary Clinton’s actions as Secretary of State and various investigations during Bill Clinton’s presidency.