Clinton Claims Ignorance of Epstein’s Crimes in House Testimony
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton informed US House lawmakers in New York on Thursday that she was unaware of the crimes committed by Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell, marking the beginning of two days of depositions that will also feature former President Bill Clinton. I was completely unaware of their criminal activities. “I do not recall ever encountering Mr. Epstein,” Hillary Clinton stated in an opening statement she shared on social media. The depositions held behind closed doors in Chappaqua, the Clintons’ hometown, a usually tranquil hamlet situated north of New York City, follow months of intense exchanges between the former influential Democratic duo and the Republican-led House Oversight Committee. This marks the unprecedented occasion where a former president is compelled to provide testimony before Congress. Nonetheless, the call for accountability regarding Epstein’s exploitation of underage girls has emerged as an almost unstoppable movement on Capitol Hill and beyond. President Donald Trump, a Republican, has voiced his regret regarding the Clintons being compelled to testify. Last year, he yielded to pressure to disclose case files related to Epstein, who took his own life in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial. The Clintons ultimately consented to testify following the rejection of their proposals for sworn statements by the Oversight panel.
This decision came after Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., issued a warning of potential criminal contempt of Congress charges against them. “Like every decent person,” Hillary Clinton stated in her opening remarks, “I have been horrified by what we have learned about their crimes.” She stated that her husband had traveled with Epstein for charitable purposes, but she did not remember meeting Epstein. She had engaged with Maxwell, Epstein’s former girlfriend and confidant, at conferences organized by the Clinton Foundation. Maxwell, a British socialite, was present at the 2010 wedding of their daughter, Chelsea Clinton. Republicans seize the opportunity to interrogate the Clintons. Bill Clinton, in particular, has become a primary focus for Republicans in the ongoing political battle regarding accountability for connections to Epstein. In January, the Department of Justice released the first tranche of Epstein files, which included several photos of the former president. Among these images were a number featuring him alongside women, their faces redacted. Clinton has not faced allegations of misconduct regarding his association with Epstein. Comer has also highlighted Hillary Clinton’s efforts as secretary of state to combat sex trafficking as a further justification for demanding her deposition. Clinton defended her efforts to combat sex trafficking globally, emphasizing the importance of supporting the millions of survivors affected by this issue.
The committee’s investigation has aimed to uncover the reasons behind the Department of Justice’s decision, under previous presidential administrations, not to pursue additional charges against Epstein after a 2008 agreement. In that arrangement, he pleaded guilty to state charges in Florida for soliciting prostitution from an underage girl, yet managed to evade federal charges. Hillary Clinton charged Comer with conducting a one-sided investigation that has not succeeded in holding Trump and other Republican officials accountable. “This institutional failure is designed to protect one political party and one public official,” she stated. Conspiracy theories, particularly from the right, have persisted for years regarding the Clintons and their associations with Epstein and Maxwell, who contends that she was wrongfully convicted. Republicans have consistently sought to hold the Clintons accountable for their actions. Comer committed to extensive days of inquiry for both Clintons. “We have a lot of questions, and the purpose of the whole investigation is to try to understand many things about Epstein,” he told reporters outside the convention center where the depositions were being held. “How did he amass such a fortune? How did he manage to surround himself with some of the most powerful men in the world?” Comer characterized the deposition as a collaborative endeavor and noted on Thursday that it was “very possible” the committee would interrogate Trump’s Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who lived next to Epstein and had multiple interactions with him. During a recent inquiry by Democrats, Lutnick admitted to having met with Epstein on two occasions following the financier’s 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor, contradicting his earlier assertion that he had severed connections with Epstein after 2005.
Democrats are urging Trump to testify. With a new generation of politicians at the helm, they have shifted their focus towards ensuring transparency regarding Epstein, rather than defending the former leaders of their party. Last month, a number of Democratic lawmakers collaborated with Republicans on the Oversight panel to move forward with the contempt of Congress charges against the Clintons. Numerous individuals expressed that they had no connection to the Clintons and felt no obligation to them. On Thursday, Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the leading Democrat on the Oversight panel, urged Trump to testify in the investigation. He contended that Bill Clinton’s appearance establishes a standard that ought to be applicable to Trump as well. “Let’s get President Trump in front of our committee to answer the questions that are being asked across this country from survivors,” Garcia said. Comer previously stated that the committee cannot depose Trump due to his status as a sitting president. Nonetheless, Democrats have recently undertaken an initiative to challenge Trump regarding his administration’s management of the Epstein files. They invited women who endured Epstein’s abuse as their guests to Trump’s State of the Union address. Even senior Democrats, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, acknowledged that it was fitting for the committee to interview anyone linked to Epstein, including the former president. “We want to hear from everyone,” Pelosi said, adding that she did not see why Hillary Clinton was being interviewed and that it was important to “believe survivors.”
