Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appeared before a congressional committee on Thursday, firmly stating that she had no recollection of ever meeting Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender. During her extensive testimony, Clinton emphasized that she had no information regarding Epstein’s criminal activities. She categorically denied having flown on Epstein’s private plane or visiting any of his properties, including his infamous island, homes, or offices.
The deposition took place behind closed doors at the House of Representatives Oversight Committee in Chappaqua, New York, lasting approximately seven hours. After the session, Clinton spoke briefly with reporters, revealing that many of the questions posed to her were repetitive throughout the day. Despite the redundancy, she mentioned offering some recommendations on how the investigation could be conducted more effectively, though she chose not to elaborate on those suggestions publicly.
As the hearing progressed late into the day, the tone shifted unexpectedly. Clinton recounted being questioned about topics far removed from Epstein, including UFOs and the baseless conspiracy theory known as “Pizzagate.” This theory falsely alleged that a Washington, D.C. pizzeria was a front for a child sex trafficking ring involving prominent Democrats, including Clinton herself. She described these inquiries as “vile” and completely unfounded, highlighting the bizarre nature of some lines of questioning during the investigation.
In her prepared remarks, Clinton, who was the Democratic nominee for president in 2016, accused the Republican-led committee of attempting to divert attention from former President Donald Trump’s connections to Epstein. She pointed out that the Trump administration had significantly weakened a State Department office dedicated to combating international sex trafficking, implying a lack of commitment to addressing such crimes at a federal level.
Following Clinton’s testimony, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, dismissed calls for Trump to testify before the panel. Comer argued that Trump had already answered numerous questions about Epstein and had been transparent by releasing related documents. This stance underscored the ongoing partisan divide surrounding the investigation.
Initially, both Hillary Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, resisted testifying before the committee. However, they eventually complied after lawmakers threatened to hold them in contempt of Congress. Bill Clinton is scheduled to appear before the committee on Friday. Hillary Clinton told reporters that her husband would testify that most individuals who had contact with Epstein prior to his 2008 criminal convictions were unaware of the sex trafficking activities. She emphasized that this would be the core message of his testimony.
Before the hearing, Chairman Comer denied that the investigation was politically motivated, noting that several Democrats had also called for the Clintons to testify. This claim aimed to present the probe as bipartisan, despite the evident tensions and accusations of partisanship that have characterized much of the inquiry into Epstein’s network and its high-profile connections.
