Hillary, Bill Clinton to Testify in Epstein Probe

Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Former US President Bill Clinton are expected to testify in a closed-door session before a congressional committee investigating convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

Bill Clinton is scheduled to appear before the Republican-led House Oversight Committee on Friday, where he will be questioned about his past interactions with Epstein, who died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial.

Although the Clintons initially resisted subpoenas compelling their testimony, they later agreed to cooperate after Republicans threatened to hold them in contempt of Congress.

Democratic lawmakers have argued that the probe is being used for political purposes, suggesting it is aimed at targeting opponents of Republican President Donald Trump, who was previously associated with Epstein but has not been asked to testify.

Both Trump and Bill Clinton are mentioned in recently released government documents linked to Epstein. However, each has maintained that they severed ties with him before his 2008 conviction in Florida, stating that being named in the files does not imply wrongdoing.

The Clintons had pushed for their testimonies to be made public, but the committee opted for private depositions. Bill Clinton criticised the decision, characterising the process as politically motivated and likening it to an unfair proceeding, while urging that any questioning be conducted openly for public scrutiny.

“If they want answers, let’s stop the games & do this the right way: in a public hearing, where the American people can see for themselves what this is really about,” the former Democratic president said on X (formerly Twitter).

Hillary Clinton, who lost the 2016 presidential election to Trump, has stated that neither she nor her husband has anything to conceal. She acknowledged meeting Maxwell a few times but said she had no significant interactions with Epstein. She also suggested that Republicans were using the hearings to divert attention from Trump.

The depositions are taking place in Chappaqua, New York, where the Clintons live.

Bill Clinton has previously acknowledged flying on Epstein’s private jet multiple times in the early 2000s for work related to the Clinton Foundation but has denied ever visiting Epstein’s private island in the Caribbean.

Ghislaine Maxwell, 64, remains the only individual convicted in connection with Epstein’s activities. 

She is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking. Earlier this month, she appeared via video link before the House Oversight Committee but declined to answer questions, invoking her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.

Her lawyer, David Markus, has indicated that Maxwell may be willing to testify publicly if granted clemency by Trump and has maintained that both Trump and Bill Clinton did not engage in any wrongdoing.

Epstein had built extensive connections with influential figures across business, politics, academia and entertainment. The release of related documents has had global repercussions, affecting reputations and prompting investigations. Despite this, no one aside from Maxwell has been convicted in connection with the case.