The former Secretary of State and former First Lady of the United States, Hillary Clinton, testified this Thursday before the House Oversight Committee as part of the investigation into the Epstein case. She did so a day before her husband, Bill Clinton, and behind closed doors, even though both had offered to testify publicly. She criticized the Republican congressmen, stating that they had forced them to appear in person, unlike many other witnesses who simply submitted written statements. She also criticized the committee for not questioning the current government members, the attorney general, and President Donald Trump.
"A committee led by elected officials committed to transparency would ensure the full release of all files. Instead, I have been forced to testify fully aware that I have no knowledge that can assist in their investigation, to distract attention from President Trump's actions and cover them up despite legitimate requests for answers," Clinton said, referring to recent reports on how the recently declassified documents deliberately omitted those referring to the FBI investigation into allegations by a young woman years ago against President Trump.
"If this Committee is serious about uncovering the truth about Epstein's trafficking crimes, they would not turn to the press for answers from our current president about his involvement; they would ask him directly under oath about the tens of thousands of times he appears in Epstein's files. If the Republican majority were serious, they would not waste time on improper searches. There is much to be done. What is being hidden? Who is being protected? And why the cover-up?" she reproached.
Minutes before the hearing began, Clinton shared on her social media the content of what would be her opening statement, emphasizing, as she did in a sworn statement on January 13, that she "was completely unaware of his criminal activities. I do not recall ever meeting Epstein. I never flew on his plane or visited his island, homes, or offices. I have nothing to add." When asked about Ghislaine Maxwell's presence at the Clinton's daughter's wedding, the former Secretary responded that Epstein's associate, and the only one convicted to date for his crimes, was a guest of one of the attendees, and neither she nor her husband knew or interacted with her.
The session lasted six hours, interrupted only when Clinton found out that Congresswoman Lauren Boebert from Colorado had leaked a picture of her from inside the room, which a MAGA influencer, Benny Johnson, shared on social media. This led to a clash between lawmakers from both parties.
The Clintons are truly upset by what they consider a political maneuver by the Republicans to protect the administration and the president, muddying the waters and creating narratives to distract attention. "The Committee has justified my summons based on the assumption that I have information about the investigations into Jeffrey Epstein's and Ghislaine Maxwell's criminal activities. Let me be as clear as possible: I do not possess it. Like any decent person, I have been horrified by what we have discovered about his crimes. It is inconceivable that Mr. Epstein received barely a slap on the wrist in 2008, allowing him to continue his predatory practices for another decade," she began before denouncing the double standard of the congressmen, pleased to have a former president, the first in history to be summoned against his will, and a former first lady testify to generate headlines.
"Mr. President, your investigation is supposed to evaluate the federal government's handling of Epstein's investigations and prosecutions. You summoned eight officials, all of them in charge of the Department of Justice or the FBI during Epstein's crimes investigation and prosecution. Of those eight, only one appeared before the Committee. Five out of the six former attorneys general were allowed to submit brief statements, stating they had no information to provide. You have not held any public hearings and have refused media access, including today's, despite advocating for transparency dozens of times. You have made little effort to summon the individuals most prominently featured in Epstein's files. And when you did, not a single Republican member showed up for Les Wexner's statement," she listed to make it clear that her in-person presence was purely partisan.
"This institutional failure is designed to protect a political party and a public official, instead of seeking truth and justice for the victims and survivors, as well as for the public who also want to get to the bottom of this matter. My heart aches for the survivors. And I am furious for them," the former Secretary of State harshly reproached.
Republican congressmen have not hidden their satisfaction these days. The Chairman of the Oversight Committee, James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, told the press just before the testimony that he plans to make public the video and transcript of what he anticipated would be an in-depth interview. "This will be a long video and a long statement," adding that Bill Clinton's tomorrow will be "even longer. We will release the transcripts and video as soon as everyone approves them," Comer stated.
In her speech, before the questions, the former minister listed her initiatives, since her time as First Lady, against violence towards women and sexual abuse, stating that "Jeffrey Epstein was a heinous individual, but he is not the only one. This is not an isolated sensationalist feeling or a political scandal. It is a global scourge with an unimaginable human cost."
And that's why she pointed out that she expected much more from a Congressional committee and its representatives. "My challenge to you, Committee members, is the same challenge I set for myself throughout my long service to this nation: how to be worthy of the trust that the American people have placed in you. They expect political skill, not cunning. Leadership, not bluster. They expect you to use your power to uncover the truth and do more to help the survivors of Epstein's crimes, as well as the millions of human trafficking victims," urged the former Secretary of State.
At the end, in response to journalists, Clinton explained that the session had been "long and repetitive," circling around the same topics. Her anger over the leaked photograph, despite offering to make the hearing public and despite the likely public release of the session's video shortly, was not about the photo itself but about the violation of rules, largely set by the Republicans.