Former United States President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee, will testify in a congressional investigation into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a spokesperson for the ex-president said, writes Al Jazeera.

The ⁠decision by the Clintons announced on Monday could head off a planned vote in the Republican-led House of Representatives to hold the high-profile Democratic Party veterans in contempt for refusing to appear before lawmakers, which could lead to criminal charges.

"The former President and former Secretary of State will be there. They look forward to setting a precedent that applies to everyone", the Clintons` deputy chief of staff, Angel Urena, said in a post on social media. Urena posted the announcement above a House Oversight Committee statement from earlier on Monday that accused the Clintons of "defying lawful subpoenas" and of "trying to dodge contempt by requesting special treatment".

"The Clintons are not above the law," the Oversight Committee said.

Last week, the Oversight Committee recommended the couple be held in contempt for refusing to testify about ⁠their relationship with Epstein. The Clintons had offered to cooperate with the committee`s probe into Epstein, but refused to appear in person, saying the investigation was a partisan exercise aimed at protecting President Donald Trump, who was a longtime friend of Epstein.