Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spent more than six hours in a closed-door deposition Thursday with the Republican-led House Oversight Committee, part of the panel’s probe of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The committee subpoenaed both Hillary and former President Bill Clinton; Bill Clinton is scheduled to testify Friday.
The session took place at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center in New York. Afterward, Clinton said she had preferred a public hearing and that she and her lawyers have requested that the transcript and video be released as soon as possible. She told reporters she was disappointed committee members refused a public session, saying viewers could have seen the testimony for themselves.
Clinton described much of the questioning as “repetitive” and said she would not sit for another appearance even if the committee agreed to a public hearing. She repeatedly denied knowing Epstein and said she never visited his private island, his home or his offices. While photographs of Bill Clinton have appeared in Epstein’s files and the former president maintained a past friendship with Epstein, Bill Clinton has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing.
Clinton said lawmakers eventually wandered into off-topic areas, including questions about UFOs and the debunked “pizzagate” conspiracy theory alleging Democrats ran a child sex-trafficking ring. She expressed confidence that Bill Clinton was unaware of Epstein’s criminal activity and said his association with Epstein ended years before Epstein’s criminal history became public. She also criticized Epstein’s 2008 plea deal in Florida.
Committee Chair Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) said he expects the deposition video to be released within 24 hours and that the transcript will be published after Clinton’s attorneys complete their standard review. The deposition was briefly paused when a conservative influencer posted a photograph from inside the room; questioning resumed with participation from both parties.
Republican members called the session productive, saying Clinton answered most questions while criticizing the delay in securing testimony from the Clintons. Comer said Clinton often replied, “I don’t know, you’ll have to ask my husband,” and indicated he has numerous questions for Bill Clinton, predicting the former president’s deposition could last even longer.