Clinton says she “had no idea” about crimes
Hillary Clinton told a congressional committee she “had no idea” about Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal activities, as she called on lawmakers to question President Donald Trump under oath regarding his past association with the late sex offender.
The former US secretary of state testified for six hours behind closed doors before the House Oversight Committee as part of its investigation into Epstein.
“I want to see the truth come out,” she told reporters after the session, adding she was “disappointed” the testimony was not made public “so I wouldn’t have to be out here characterising it for you”.
Her husband, former President Bill Clinton, is scheduled to testify on Friday.
Subpoena dispute and political tensions
The Clintons had initially resisted a subpoena from the panel, describing it as politically motivated. They later agreed to testify as potential contempt-of-Congress proceedings loomed.
Both the Clintons and Donald Trump deny wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.
In her opening statement, released ahead of Thursday’s hearing in Chappaqua, New York, Clinton said: “I had no idea about their criminal activities,” referring to Epstein and his convicted associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.
“I do not recall ever encountering Mr Epstein. I never flew on his plane or visited his island, homes, or offices. I have nothing to add to that,” she said.
In a recent BBC interview in Berlin, Clinton acknowledged meeting Maxwell “on a few occasions”. Maxwell attended the 2010 wedding of the couple’s daughter, Chelsea Clinton, in New York.
Call for Trump to testify
During her statement, Clinton urged the House committee to summon Trump to testify under oath about his name appearing repeatedly in documents related to the Epstein investigation.
The Clintons’ names also appear in justice department files concerning Epstein. There is no suggestion that appearing in the millions of documents implies wrongdoing.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer said it was a “shame” it took seven months to arrange the deposition, but noted that Clinton answered most of their questions. He added that some responses did not fully satisfy committee members.
“I don’t think it’s any type of being unfair in any way to the Clintons,” Comer said previously, adding that Trump is frequently questioned publicly about his knowledge or involvement with Epstein.
Photo leak halts deposition
The Hillary Clinton Epstein testimony was briefly paused after a photograph from inside the closed-door session was leaked.
Democrats on the committee said the release of the image- reportedly taken by Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert- was “completely against the rules”.
Boebert told the BBC she had sent a photo of Clinton from inside the deposition room to a conservative influencer, saying it was taken before proceedings began.
Clinton later said the incident led her team to pause the hearing to ensure no further rules were violated.
Democrats defend Clinton
Democratic members of the committee defended Clinton during a mid-deposition update to reporters, describing the proceedings as repetitive and unproductive.
Congressman Robert Garcia, the panel’s top Democrat, said he wanted the full, unedited transcript of Clinton’s testimony released within 24 hours. He also called for Trump to testify immediately.
Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari described Thursday’s session as an “unserious clown show”, accusing Republicans of prioritising photo opportunities over accountability.
Bill Clinton to testify
Bill Clinton has said he had no knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and cut ties with him two decades ago. He has previously stated their association was linked to his charity work after leaving office and has expressed regret over the relationship.
The upcoming testimony will mark the first time a former US president has appeared before a congressional panel since Gerald Ford testified in 1983.
Such depositions typically occur behind closed doors, though the Clintons had argued for public testimony to prevent selective leaks to the media.
Also read: The Clintons testimony on Epstein to begin in New York
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