作者：Ryan Patrick Jones 和 David Morgan
华盛顿，2月3日（路透社） – 美国共和党众议员詹姆斯·科默（James Comer）周二在一份声明中表示，美国前总统比尔·克林顿（Bill Clinton）和2016年民主党总统候选人希拉里·克林顿（Hillary Clinton）将于本月晚些时候就已故性犯罪者杰弗里·爱泼斯坦（Jeffrey Epstein）的国会调查作证。
科默（他同时担任众议院监督委员会主席）称，希拉里·克林顿将于2月26日出席众议院监督委员会听证会，比尔·克林顿则于2月27日出席。两次证词陈述都将被转录并拍摄。
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科默表示：“我们期待在调查爱泼斯坦和（吉斯莱恩）麦克斯韦（Ghislaine Maxwell）的骇人罪行过程中对克林顿夫妇进行询问，为美国人民和受害者提供透明度和问责。”
在共和党主导的众议院计划对这两位著名民主党人处以藐视法庭罪投票（此举可能导致刑事指控）后，克林顿夫妇同意亲自出庭作证。
众议院监督委员会上周建议以克林顿夫妇拒绝就其与爱泼斯坦的关系作证为由对其处以藐视法庭罪。克林顿夫妇此前曾表示愿意与该小组合作，但拒绝亲自出庭，称这项调查是为保护共和党总统唐纳德·特朗普（Donald Trump）而进行的党派性政治操弄。
美国众议院议长迈克·约翰逊（Mike Johnson）表示，藐视法庭的投票计划暂时搁置。
约翰逊称：“藐视法庭程序暂停，以确保所有人都履行其义务。”当被问及是否允许克林顿夫妇公开作证时，约翰逊表示：“我必须与科默主席讨论此事。这是他的工作。”
比尔和希拉里·克林顿的发言人未立即回应置评请求。
美国司法部近期公布的数百万份与爱泼斯坦相关的内部文件显示，这位已故金融家及性犯罪者在2008年因卖淫罪认罪前后，均与政界、金融界、学术界和商界的众多知名人士有联系。
比尔·克林顿在卸任后于21世纪初几次乘坐爱泼斯坦的私人飞机出行，而司法部公布的照片显示他曾与面部信息被编辑的女性一同游泳和摆拍。他对这段关系表示后悔，并声称自己对爱泼斯坦的犯罪活动一无所知。
爱泼斯坦于2019年在曼哈顿监狱牢房中死亡，死因被裁定为自杀。英国社交名媛、爱泼斯坦的前女友吉斯莱恩·麦克斯韦因犯有未成年人性交易及其他罪名被判20年监禁。
华盛顿报道：David Morgan；多伦多撰写：Ryan Patrick Jones；编辑：Rosalba O’Brien
Clintons to testify in Epstein congressional probe later this month, contempt vote on hold | Reuters
By Ryan Patrick Jones and David Morgan
WASHINGTON, Feb 3 (Reuters) – Former U.S. president Bill Clinton and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton will testify later this month in a congressional investigation into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Republican U.S. Representative James Comer said in a statement on Tuesday.
Hillary Clinton will appear before the House Oversight Committee on February 26 and Bill Clinton will do so on February 27, said Comer, who chairs the committee. Both depositions will be transcribed and filmed.
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“We look forward to questioning the Clintons as part of our investigation into the horrific crimes of Epstein and (Ghislaine) Maxwell, to deliver transparency and accountability for the American people and for survivors,” Comer said.
The Clintons agreed to appear before the committee in person after the Republican-led House of Representatives planned a vote to hold the two prominent Democrats in contempt, which could have led to criminal charges.
The House Oversight Committee recommended last week that the Clintons be held in contempt for refusing to testify about their relationship with Epstein. The Clintons had previously offered to cooperate with the panel but not appear in person, saying the investigation was a partisan exercise aimed at protecting Republican President Donald Trump.
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said plans for the contempt vote were being put on hold for the moment.
“Contempt is on pause to ensure that everybody goes through with their obligation,” Johnson said. Asked whether the Clintons would be allowed to testify in public, Johnson said: “I have to talk to Chairman Comer about that. It’s his operation.”
Spokespeople for Bill and Hillary Clinton didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
The U.S. Justice Department’s recent release of millions of internal documents related to Epstein has revealed the late financier and sex offender’s ties to many prominent people in politics, finance, academia and business – both before and after he pleaded guilty in 2008 to prostitution charges.
Bill Clinton flew on Epstein’s plane several times in the early 2000s after leaving office, while photos released by the Justice Department show him swimming and posing with women whose faces are redacted. He has expressed regret about the relationship and said he knew nothing about Epstein’s criminal activity.
Epstein’s 2019 death in a Manhattan jail cell was ruled a suicide. Ghislaine Maxwell, a British socialite and Epstein’s former girlfriend, is serving a 20-year prison sentence after being convicted of sex trafficking of a minor and other charges.
Reporting by David Morgan in Washington; Writing by Ryan Patrick Jones in Toronto; Editing by Rosalba O’Brien
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