Hillary Clinton denies knowledge of Epstein’s crimes in House testimony (AP)

Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton On Thursday, he testified for more than six hours behind closed doors before the Republican-led House Oversight Committee as part of the investigation. Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.The testimony took place in the Clintons’ hometown of Chappaqua, New York, after months of tense disputes between the former Democratic power couple and the committee. The Clintons resisted the panel’s subpoenas, arguing they were politically motivated, then agreed to testify because they could face contempt of Congress proceedings.This is the first time a former president has been forced to testify before Congress. Former President Bill Clinton is scheduled to appear before the committee on Friday.

In an opening statement shared on social media, Hillary Clinton said she knew nothing about Epstein or Maxwell’s criminal activities. “I had no knowledge of their criminal activities. I don’t recall ever meeting Mr. Epstein,” she said.“I do not recall ever meeting Mr. Epstein,” she said in prepared remarks. “I have never flown on one of his planes or visited his island, home or office. I have nothing to add to that.”“Like every decent person,” she added, “I was shocked by what I learned about their crimes.”Clinton said Thursday she believed her husband knew nothing about Epstein’s abuse of minors or other crimes. “I believe his relationship with Epstein ended many years before his criminal activities came to light,” she said after delivering what she described as “lengthy and very repetitive” testimony.

Clinton said after her testimony that questioning changed after she repeatedly told House Republicans she did not know Jeffrey Epstein.The exchange became “very unusual,” she said, because I started being asked about UFOs and a series of questions about Pizzagate, one of the most vile, false conspiracy theories spread on the internet, which was the basis for a member’s questions to me.Pizzagate is a 2016 conspiracy theory based on the false claim that members of the Clinton campaign used coded emails to discuss child sex slaves allegedly held in the basement of the Comet Ping Pong Pizza restaurant in Washington, D.C. The restaurant did not have a basement and had nothing to do with child sex trafficking.The conspiracy theory was promoted by far-right supporters of Donald Trump, including Jack Posobik, until late in 2016, when a man armed with an assault rifle believed the claims to be true, entered the restaurant to “investigate himself” and fired a shot inside.Speaking to reporters after her testimony, Clinton said she answered every question put to her.

Clinton accused the committee of targeting her to distract from Donald Trump.“You forced me to testify, fully aware that I did not know I could assist your investigation, in order to divert attention from President Trump’s actions and cover up those actions despite a legitimate demand for answers,” she said in her opening statement.She said the committee should “question Trump directly and under oath about his tens of thousands of appearances in the Epstein dossier.”Trump was once a close friend of Epstein, but has not been accused of any wrongdoing with the disgraced financier, who died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking.Clinton also accused the commission of an “institutional failure” that was designed to “protect a political party and a public official rather than seek truth and justice for (Epstein’s) victims and survivors.”

The Clintons and members of the House Oversight Committee agreed on five topic areas for the testimony. They are:

The committee’s investigation also seeks to understand why the Justice Department under previous presidential administrations did not bring further charges against Epstein. In 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty to Florida charges of prostitution of underage girls but avoided federal charges.

Testimony was briefly halted after Rep. Lauren Boebert shared a photo of Clinton answering questions in the deposition room. The image was posted on social media by Bennie Johnson.Clinton’s lawyers immediately asked for a stay of proceedings, noting that her request for a public hearing had been denied. After about 30 minutes, the testimony continued. Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va., said the first hour of testimony before the interruption was embarrassing for Republicans and did not reveal any important results. “Secretary Clinton is confused as to why she’s here to answer questions,” he said. “I’m trying to figure out what else to ask her. She doesn’t know much.”

Photos, flights and social events resurface

Hillary Clinton has previously said her husband flew with Epstein on charity trips but she did not recall ever meeting him.According to CNN, Bill Clinton flew on Epstein’s private jet at least 16 times, and documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice also included photos with women in a jacuzzi. The first batch of Epstein documents released in January contained several photos of the former president, including some of him with women whose faces had been edited. He also posed with Ghislaine Maxwell.Hillary Clinton acknowledged that she had interacted with Maxwell at a conference hosted by the Clinton Foundation. Maxwell, a British socialite and Epstein’s ex-girlfriend and confidant, also attended the 2010 wedding of the Clintons’ daughter Chelsea Clinton.Clinton told reporters as she left the event center where the testimony was held that Maxwell was at the wedding as someone else’s guest, telling the committee she only knew Maxwell “as an acquaintance.”Epstein survivors and lawyers representing them say it is important for the Clintons, and especially the former president, to testify as lawmakers continue to scrutinize the administration’s handling of the case.