Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke before the House Oversight Committee, telling lawmakers she didn’t know of Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell’s crimes.
Thursday’s testimony was the start of two days of depositions, with former President Bill Clinton testifying on Friday. President Clinton’s testimony will be the first time Congress has forced a former president to testify before lawmakers. The Clintons have denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein, and no one has accused them of any crimes.
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The hearing did run into an issue early on, after Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., leaked a photo of Clinton to conservative YouTuber Benny Johnson, who later posted it online. The hearing paused for about 40 minutes as lawmakers investigated.
When asked by reporters why she violated her committee’s protocols, she asked them, “Why not?” She jokingly told the press that she liked Clinton’s blue suit and wanted to show everyone, The Associated Press reported.
What did Clinton say during testimony?
Shortly after the hearing began, Clinton posted her opening statements on social media. In them, she said she had no idea about Epstein or Maxwell’s criminal activities. Clinton claimed to have never encountered Epstein.
She repeated her demands for a public deposition after Boebert leaked the photo, the AP reported. However, committee chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., said they would conduct the Clintons’ depositions like they do every other.
In her opening remarks, Clinton criticized the committee’s investigation, going as far as to label it a “cover-up.”
“You have compelled me to testify, fully aware that I have no knowledge that would assist your investigation, in order to distract attention from President Trump’s actions and cover them up despite legitimate calls for answers,” she wrote.
Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., the top Democrat on the committee, said Clinton answered all questions and did not invoke her Fifth Amendment right, NBC News reported.
What did lawmakers say?
Before the hearing started, Comer spoke to reporters, saying the committee didn’t target the Clintons because of their politics.
“This isn’t a partisan witch hunt,” Comer said. “This was a motion, a bipartisan motion, supported by the Democrats, to bring the Clintons in. So I don’t think it’s any type of being unfair in any way to the Clintons.”
Comer has previously tried to get the Clintons to testify about their relationship with Epstein, but said they have ignored his requests.
“We worked for six months to get the Clintons to come in,” he said.
The committee had previously voted to hold the Clintons in contempt of Congress after they refused to honor a subpoena and dismissed Comer’s requests for testimony. Lawmakers paused a full vote in the House of Representatives after the oversight committee and the Clintons’ attorneys met to discuss their testimony.
Garcia and other Democrats hoped that Clinton’s deposition would set a precedent for deposing other politicians named in the Epstein files, like President Donald Trump.
“This committee has now set a new precedent about talking to presidents and former presidents, and we’re demanding immediately that we ask President Trump to testify in front of our committee and be deposed in front of Oversight Republicans and Democrats,” Garcia said. “And that should happen immediately.”
What happens next?
Former President Clinton is scheduled to appear before the same committee on Friday, where he is expected to answer the same questions. However, his questions may offer more substance. He knew Maxwell and had flown on Epstein’s private jet during a humanitarian trip after he left office.
Just like Thursday’s interview, the committee will also film the former president’s testimony. Comer said he is allowing the Clintons’ attorneys to review it before releasing it to the public.
The committee has indicated it would question additional current and former officials. The Clintons’ testimony this week will add sworn accounts of their interactions with Epstein and their knowledge of his activities.
