WASHINGTON

US Congressman Robert Garcia on Friday called on President Donald Trump to appear before the House Oversight Committee in its investigation related to late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

"I also want to add one other thing which is really important, Republicans have now set a new precedent, which is to bring in presidents and former presidents to testify," Garcia told the reporters.

His remarks came ahead of a scheduled closed-door deposition in New York by former President Bill Clinton before the committee. The deposition is part of the committee’s probe into matters connected to Epstein.

Bill Clinton’s testimony follows a similar closed-door deposition a day earlier by his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

"So, we're once again going to make that call we did yesterday. We are now asking and demanding that President Trump officially come in and testify in front of the Oversight Committee," Garcia said.

The Democrat said Trump appears in the Epstein files next to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell "almost more than anybody else."

"So, it's time for the president to answer questions about why files are missing from the DOJ (Department of Justice), why there's been a White House cover-up, and why we continue in that administration to call this investigation a hoax," he added.

In addition, Garcia renewed a demand that the depositions be opened to the press and public. If that is not permitted, he said, lawmakers should release a full, unedited transcript and video recording within 24 hours of the conclusion of each session.

"That means the Secretary Clinton deposition needs to be released immediately today," Garcia said.

Separately, speaking to the media before the deposition, House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer said the committee is going to get the video out "as quickly as we can get it uploaded."

"This is for all practical purposes a public deposition ... the American people are going to see it," he said.