Former U.S. secretary of state Hillary Clinton testified before a congressional committee, stating she had no recollection of ever meeting Jeffrey Epstein, the deceased sex offender, and had no knowledge of his criminal activities. Clinton emphasized that she never flew on Epstein’s plane, visited his properties, or interacted with him. During her closed-door deposition with the House of Representatives Oversight Committee in Chappaqua, N.Y., Clinton mentioned being repeatedly questioned about unfounded conspiracy theories such as UFOs and Pizzagate.
Clinton, who ran for president in 2016 against Donald Trump, accused the Republican-led committee of diverting attention from Trump’s connections to Epstein, highlighting that Trump’s administration had reduced resources dedicated to combating international sex trafficking. Following Clinton’s testimony, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer rejected the idea of summoning Trump before the panel, citing Trump’s transparency in providing related documents.
Bill Clinton, Hillary’s husband, initially declined to testify but later agreed to appear before the committee after facing potential contempt of Congress charges. Hillary Clinton informed the press that Bill Clinton would affirm that most individuals who had contact with Epstein before his 2008 criminal convictions were unaware of his sex trafficking activities.
Representative Robert Garcia, the leading Democrat on the committee, called for Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to testify as well. Lutnick admitted visiting Epstein’s private island after severing ties with him. Democrats accused Trump’s Justice Department of selectively withholding documents to shield Trump from scrutiny, alleging suppression of records related to sexual abuse accusations against Trump by a minor.
The Justice Department stated it would review any potentially withheld documents and release them if deemed appropriate. While Trump had socialized with Epstein in the past, law enforcement authorities have not charged him with any criminal offense linked to Epstein. Bill Clinton’s interactions with Epstein, including flying on his plane, have also come under scrutiny. The Justice Department’s released documents have shed light on Epstein’s connections to various high-profile individuals globally, prompting investigations into other notable figures.
