Bill Clinton's Testimony on Epstein Investigation
Former President Bill Clinton testified before a congressional panel in New York, stating he "saw nothing" and "did nothing wrong" concerning the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The all-day closed-door hearing involved questioning Clinton about his presence in recently released files related to Epstein, including a photograph showing him with an unidentified individual in a hot tub.
His testimony followed that of his wife, former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who the previous day told the committee she also "had no idea" about Epstein's criminal activities.
It is important to note that appearing in the files does not imply wrongdoing, and neither Bill nor Hillary Clinton has been accused of misconduct by any Epstein survivors who have come forward.
Clinton emphasized that had he known about Epstein's crimes, he would have severed all ties and refused to fly on Epstein's plane.
"I would have turned him in myself," Clinton said in an opening statement released publicly before his testimony.
Following his testimony, Clinton posted a video reiterating his statement, asserting he was unaware of Epstein's crimes "no matter how many photos they show of me."
"When the video of my testimony today is released, I hope it will motivate everyone to go in front of Congress to say what they know," Clinton said. "I hope it will motivate the justice department to finally release all the files and to ensure that this never happens again. The survivors deserve that."
Resistance and Compliance with Congressional Subpoenas
Both Bill and Hillary Clinton initially resisted subpoenas from the House Oversight Committee, dismissing them as politically motivated. However, they agreed to testify as potential contempt-of-Congress proceedings loomed.
Inquiry About Hot Tub Photograph
During the deposition, Clinton was questioned about a photograph depicting him in a hot tub with a person whose face was obscured to protect their identity. Clinton told lawmakers he did not know the individual and denied any sexual contact with her, according to a source cited by the BBC.
Unlike his wife, Clinton did not speak to reporters following the conclusion of his deposition.
Committee Chairman's Remarks on the Deposition
James Comer, the Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee, described the hours-long interview as "a very productive deposition."
"President Clinton answered every question, or attempted to answer every question," Comer said, adding that video footage and a full transcript of the testimony would be released in the coming days.
Comer also characterized the Clintons' depositions as "historic," noting they are the highest-ranking officials ever deposed by Congress.
He referenced President Gerald Ford's voluntary 1974 congressional appearance to explain his pardon of former President Richard Nixon.
"This is a serious investigation," Comer said. "We will continue to try and get the truth to the American people and justice to the victims."
Discussion of President Trump's Connection to Epstein
Bill Clinton's testimony also touched on President Donald Trump's relationship with Epstein. House Democrats indicated that the testimony revealed "additional information" about Trump, prompting renewed calls for the current president to testify before the committee.
Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, stated that Clinton provided "additional information about some discussions with President Trump."
"We now have a new precedent in this country that presidents and former presidents can testify before this committee," Garcia added.
According to congressional records, six sitting and former presidents had previously testified before congressional committees; Clinton is now the seventh.
Comer told reporters that Clinton was asked during the deposition whether Trump should be summoned to testify.
Comer said Clinton replied: "That's for you to decide." He added that Clinton stated he had no knowledge of Trump's involvement in Epstein's crimes and that any new information did not alter his belief that Trump has been cleared of wrongdoing.
"He's been exonerated for a long time," Comer said.
Trump commented on Clinton's deposition on Friday, telling reporters: "I don't like seeing him deposed."
Lawmakers' Observations on Clinton's Cooperation
During a break in the deposition, lawmakers from both parties told reporters that Clinton was cooperative, answering questions and being transparent.
Clinton's Relationship with Epstein
Clinton has maintained that he had no knowledge of Epstein's crimes and ended contact with him two decades ago. He explained that their interactions were related to his charitable work after leaving the presidency in 2001 and expressed regret for ever being associated with Epstein, who died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.
The Clintons' names appear hundreds of times in the Epstein files. However, appearing in millions of Department of Justice documents related to Epstein does not imply wrongdoing.
Bill Clinton appears in documents and photographs released incrementally by the Department of Justice as part of its disclosure of materials uncovered during federal investigations into Epstein's crimes.
The files broadly reveal Epstein's extensive connections with numerous high-profile individuals, including after his 2008 conviction for a sex crime.
Context of Congressional Depositions
Congressional depositions typically occur behind closed doors. The Clintons had advocated for their testimony to be public to prevent selective leaks of their answers to the media without full context.
