Clinton Condemns Republican-Led Epstein Investigation as Political Diversion
Hillary Clinton delivered a strong rebuke to a congressional committee investigating alleged connections between her and Jeffrey Epstein on Thursday, accusing Republican members of conducting a "fishing expedition" aimed at diverting attention from former President Donald Trump's actions.
In a forceful opening statement, the former secretary of state described the hearing as "partisan political theatre" and "an insult to the American people," reiterating her claim that she never met Epstein, the disgraced financier and convicted sex trafficker who died in 2019.
"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 to cover them up despite legitimate calls for answers," she stated, according to remarks shared during her closed-door testimony.
Clinton's remarks came on the first day of a session that also includes a deposition by her husband, Bill Clinton, the former US president, scheduled for Friday. The hearing is being held at an arts center near the Clintons' home in Chappaqua, upstate New York.
The Clintons agreed to appear following subpoenas issued by the committee's Republican chair, James Comer, after facing potential contempt of Congress charges.
In her opening statement, Clinton criticized the proceedings as "designed to protect one political party and one public official, rather than to seek truth and justice for the victims and survivors."
"If this committee is serious about learning the truth about Epstein’s trafficking crimes, it would not rely on press gaggles to get answers from our current president on his involvement; it would ask him directly under oath about the tens of thousands of times he shows up in the Epstein files.
If the majority was serious, it would not waste time on fishing expeditions. There is too much that needs to be done. What is being held back? Who is being protected? And why the cover-up?"
Hearing Interrupted by Unauthorized Photograph
The hearing was briefly suspended after Clinton's legal team requested a pause when a photo of her testifying was shared on social media. The image, posted by Maga influencer Benny Johnson, was reportedly taken by Lauren Boebert, a Republican committee member. Taking photographs during closed-door congressional hearings violates committee rules. Democrats condemned the incident as "unacceptable."
Boebert defended her actions on social media, referencing the 2012 Benghazi attack during Clinton's tenure as secretary of state.
"No US ambassadors were harmed in the taking of today’s photo," she wrote.
Clinton resumed her testimony shortly after the interruption.
Robert Garcia, the committee’s ranking Democrat, noted that during the disruption, Clinton had requested the hearing be opened to the media.
Clinton Comments on Testimony and Investigation Conduct
After her testimony, Clinton told reporters she would have preferred a public hearing but was concerned about the committee disregarding agreed-upon rules.
"They had a chance to do it in public and I wish they had done it in public," she said. "I don’t know how many times I had to say I did not know Jeffery Epstein. It is on the record numerous times."
She described some questions as repetitive and off-topic, including inquiries about UFOs and the discredited "Pizzagate" conspiracy theory linking the Democratic Party to a pedophilia ring.
"No Republican members asked any questions about Jeffery Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell to anyone else they have disposed," Clinton added, expressing frustration with the investigation's handling.
The Clintons have previously suggested that the investigation is intended to distract from Trump, who had a longstanding friendship with Epstein before severing ties. They preferred the testimony be public rather than released later via video and transcripts.
Committee Reactions and Upcoming Testimonies
During an afternoon break, Garcia stated that Hillary Clinton had answered all questions and called for transcripts of her deposition to be released within 24 hours.
"The American people have a right to know exactly what she said, what questions were asked of her and how she responded," he said.
Bill Clinton is set to testify under similar conditions on Friday. The committee is investigating his acknowledged links to Epstein, which are documented in files released by the Justice Department under congressional mandate.
Committee members traveled to Chappaqua after agreeing the Clintons would not testify on Capitol Hill. Written transcripts and video footage of the depositions are expected to be released soon.
Outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, Republicans and Democrats contested the narrative surrounding the Epstein files.
Comer accused the Clintons of attempting to avoid subpoenas, noting that other public figures, including Bill Barr and Alex Acosta from the Trump administration, had cooperated willingly.
"The Clintons haven’t answered very many, if any, questions about their knowledge or involvement with Epstein and [Ghislaine] Maxwell," Comer said. "Again, no one is accusing at this moment the Clintons of any wrongdoing. They’re going to have due process. But we have a lot of questions, and the purpose of the whole investigation is to try to understand many things about Epstein."
Garcia expressed support for Bill Clinton's testimony but called for Trump to testify following revelations that files related to a woman alleging sexual assault by Trump as a minor were excluded from released documents.
"Let’s get President Trump in front of our committee to answer the questions that are being asked across this country, from survivors, from those have been brutally attacked and raped, sometimes as children."
Accusations of Partisan Motives and Historical Context
Hillary Clinton's summons has led to accusations that the depositions serve as a partisan effort to deflect scrutiny from Trump's association with Epstein.
James Walkinshaw, a Virginia Democrat on the committee, said: "There is no indication – zero, zip, zilch, nada – that Secretary Clinton had any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes. My fear is we’re here today as part of a political exercise, part of a long running fever dream where Republicans want to lock up Secretary Clinton."
Both Clintons have previously faced congressional investigations and emerged politically strengthened.
Hillary Clinton testified in 2015 before a House select committee investigating the Benghazi attack. Her appearance was widely seen as neutralizing Republican criticism and bolstering her Democratic presidential campaign.
Bill Clinton provided two sworn testimonies in 1998 amid a Republican-led independent counsel investigation. One addressed sexual harassment allegations by Paula Jones, a former Arkansas state employee, and the other involved grand jury testimony regarding accusations of perjury and obstruction of justice related to his relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
Bill Clinton denies any wrongdoing and has called for the release of all Epstein-related files. Approximately 3 million documents remain in the Justice Department's possession, contrary to the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
He acknowledges flying four times on Epstein’s private plane, known as "the Lolita Express," and appears in several photographs in the files, including one showing him and Epstein in a hot tub with a woman whose identity is redacted.
He states he severed ties with Epstein in 2006 as Epstein's sexual crimes became known.
