Hillary Clinton appeared for a closed-door deposition before House investigators on Thursday in Chappaqua, New York, as part of the Republican-led House Oversight Committee’s inquiry into Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. The deposition is part of two days of expected testimony that are also set to include former President Bill Clinton on Friday.
According to the Associated Press, Hillary Clinton told investigators she had no information about Epstein’s criminal conduct and did not recall meeting him. AP also reported that she said she had met Maxwell at Clinton Foundation events and that Maxwell attended Chelsea Clinton’s 2010 wedding.
The deposition followed months of dispute between the Clintons and the committee over subpoenas and testimony terms. Reuters and AP both reported that the couple initially resisted appearing in person but agreed after the committee moved toward contempt proceedings.
House Republicans say the inquiry is focused on how federal authorities handled the Epstein case, including why the Justice Department did not pursue additional charges after Epstein’s 2008 plea deal. AP reported that the hearings are part of a broader push in Congress for more disclosure around the government’s handling of Epstein-related records.
The immediate next step is Bill Clinton’s expected deposition on Friday. Reuters reported that Committee Chair James Comer said transcripts of the interviews would be made public, meaning the political fight around the inquiry is likely to continue after the closed-door sessions end.
Sources used:
Associated Press
Reuters
House Oversight Committee