Hillary Clinton is testifying Thursday in a closed-door deposition before the House Oversight Committee. Former President Bill Clinton will appear Friday.
The sessions are taking place in Chappaqua, New York, near the Clintons’ home, after months of negotiations between their attorneys and committee leaders. Lawmakers voted last July to subpoena both as part of Congress’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and his longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.
The former president and former secretary of state will now answer questions under oath in a congressional probe that has drawn support from both parties. Democrats joined Republicans in compelling their testimony, a break from the partisan splits that often define Oversight fights.
Opening statement
Shortly after the hearing began, Clinton released her opening statements on her X account. In them, she said she had never met Epstein before, something she noted in previous written statements sent to the committee.
“The Committee justified its subpoena to me based on its assumption that I have information regarding the investigations into the criminal activities of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell,” she wrote. “Let me be as clear as I can. I do not.”
Clinton wrote that she had no memory of “encountering” Epstein, flying on his plane or visiting any place he owned, including his notorious island. She criticized the hearing, saying the American people deserve to have a full investigation into Epstein’s connections.
“If the majority were serious, it would not waste time on fishing expeditions,” Clinton wrote. “There is too much that needs to be done.”
Months of resistance end in agreement
The Clintons declined to appear for in-person questioning for months, arguing they had already provided sworn statements and relevant records. They also challenged the subpoenas as untethered to a valid legislative purpose.
In January, the Oversight panel voted to hold both in contempt of Congress. Had the full House approved the measure, it would have triggered a criminal referral to the Justice Department. Shortly after the committee advanced those resolutions, the Clintons agreed to sit for depositions under terms negotiated with Chairman James Comer, R-Ky.
As Straight Arrow News has reported, the Clintons pushed to testify publicly. Republicans refused and insisted on closed-door sessions.
Comer said the committee will release video and transcripts once the Clintons sign off.
“We’ll publish the video and transcripts of the Clinton depositions just as quickly as the Clintons approve it, and go from there,” Comer told reporters.
Focus on Epstein ties and federal handling
Lawmakers from both parties say they want answers about Epstein’s access to powerful figures, how he and Maxwell cultivated relationships, and how federal investigations were handled.
Bill Clinton flew on Epstein’s private plane multiple times in the early 2000s and appears in photographs contained in files recently released by the Justice Department. He has not been accused by law enforcement of wrongdoing tied to Epstein. A spokesperson has said he ended contact before Epstein’s 2019 arrest and was unaware of criminal activity.
Hillary Clinton has said she does not recall ever speaking to Epstein and has stated she met Maxwell only a handful of times.
Some Democrats argue Republicans are using the inquiry to target longtime political adversaries.
“What the Epstein survivors have been asking for is both transparency and accountability. And what Republicans want to do is turn this into political theater,” Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, D-N.M., told reporters Wednesday.
Other Democrats have said cooperation with lawful subpoenas should apply to anyone connected to Epstein, regardless of party.
The committee has indicated it will 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.