Hillary Clinton tells Oversight Panel she has 'no new' Epstein info, blasts GOP 'political theater'

CHAPPAQUA, NEW YORK: Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told the House Oversight Committee on Thursday, February 26, that she had "no new information" about Jeffrey Epstein or his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell, while sharply criticizing Republicans for what she described as politically motivated investigations.

“I had no idea about their criminal activities,” Clinton said in an opening statement posted on X and delivered during a closed-door deposition.

“I do not recall ever encountering Mr Epstein. I never flew on his plane or visited his island home or offices,” she said.

Hillary slams ‘fishing expeditions’ by Republican-led panel 

Clinton accused the Republican-led panel of engaging in “fishing expeditions” by compelling her and former President Bill Clinton to testify despite, she said, knowing that they had little relevant information.

“You have compelled me to testify, fully aware that I have no knowledge that would assist your investigation,” Clinton wrote, arguing the effort was designed to distract from scrutiny of President Donald Trump.

“If this committee is serious about learning the truth,” she added, “it would ask (Trump) directly under oath” about his appearances in the Epstein files.

Trump, like the Clintons, denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein and has never been charged.

Hillary Clinton’s deposition in New York

The videotaped interview took place in Chappaqua, New York, where the Clintons maintain a residence. The committee is scheduled to depose Bill Clinton on Friday.

Hillary Clinton accused the committee of "partisan political theater," which she said is an "abdication of duty and an insult to the American people."

She said the committee had chosen to depose her, despite the fact that she said she had never met Epstein and had no knowledge of his crimes, as a way to distract from and cover up President Trump's actions.

She accused the committee of making little effort to question and investigate the people who most prominently appeared in the Epstein files.

"This institutional failure is designed to protect one political party and one public official, rather than to seek truth and justice for the victims and survivors, as well as the public who also want to get to the bottom of this matter," she stated. 

She added, "My heart breaks for the survivors. And I am furious on their behalf."

James Comer says questioning would be extensive

Committee Chair James Comer said that the questioning would be extensive. “This is going to be a long video and a long deposition,” Comer told reporters, adding that Bill Clinton’s session would be “even longer.”

The interviews follow months of contentious negotiations, including threats to hold the Clintons in contempt of Congress over compliance with subpoenas issued last August.

Bill Clinton's photos, flights and past associations in focus 

Undated photographs showing Bill Clinton with Epstein and Maxwell were released in December under the 'Epstein Files Transparency Act', which mandates public disclosure of Justice Department files tied to Epstein and Maxwell.

Bill Clinton’s spokesperson has acknowledged that the former president flew on Epstein’s plane four times in 2002 and 2003 on trips connected to the Clinton Foundation. Hillary Clinton did not accompany him and has said she does not believe she ever met Epstein.

Hillary Clinton has acknowledged knowing Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 of federal charges and is serving a 20-year prison sentence.

She told the BBC this month that she met Maxwell “a few times,” noting that “thousands of people” attended events tied to the Clinton Global Initiative.