The House Oversight Committee released video depositions Monday showing Bill and Hillary Clinton answering questions about their connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The recordings, taken last week, mark what PBS NewsHour described as the first time a former president has been compelled to testify to Congress. Both Clintons denied any knowledge of Epstein's criminal activity prior to his 2008 guilty plea to soliciting prostitution from an underage girl.
According to Bloomberg, Bill Clinton told lawmakers that former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers introduced him to Epstein after Clinton left office. He said he ended his relationship with Epstein years before the 2008 guilty plea. Hillary Clinton became visibly irritated during her testimony when Rep. Lauren Boebert shared a photograph of her during the deposition without authorization, threatening to walk out of the session. The New York Times described her overall testimony as defiant.
Bill Clinton told the committee that Donald Trump once mentioned having "some great times" with Epstein in 2002 or 2003, before their relationship soured. However, Clinton said Trump "never said anything to me to make me think he was involved in anything improper with regard to Epstein either." Clinton also recalled a property dispute conversation with Trump.
Hillary Clinton suggested the committee question Trump directly.
House Republicans released the depositions that had been recorded behind closed doors. The release came as part of the House Oversight Committee's investigation into Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
The House Oversight Committee released nine hours of video depositions Monday showing Bill and Hillary Clinton answering questions about their connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The recordings, taken last week in Chappaqua, New York, mark the first time a former president has been compelled to testify to Congress. Both Clintons denied any knowledge of Epstein's criminal activity before he pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting prostitution from an underage girl.
Bill Clinton told lawmakers that former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers introduced him to Epstein after Clinton left office. He said he ended his relationship with Epstein years before the 2008 guilty plea. Hillary Clinton was more defiant during her testimony, becoming visibly irritated when Rep. Lauren Boebert shared a photograph of her during the deposition, threatening to walk out of the session.
Bill Clinton told the committee that Donald Trump once mentioned having "some great times" with Epstein in 2002 or 2003, before their relationship soured. However, Clinton said Trump "never said anything to me to make me think he was involved in anything improper with regard to Epstein either." Clinton also recalled a property dispute conversation with Trump but offered no details linking the current president to Epstein's crimes.
Hillary Clinton suggested the committee question Trump directly rather than relying on her recollection of conversations about him.
House Republicans made the depositions public after keeping them sealed, providing the public a first direct look at testimony that had previously been unavailable. The release came as part of the Republican-led investigation into Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
The decision to release the videos allows viewers to see both the substance of the Clintons' answers and their demeanor under questioning, rather than relying on summaries or secondhand accounts of what was said behind closed doors.
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