Former President Bill Clinton told the House Oversight Committee he had no knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes and committed no wrongdoing in connection with the late financier.
Key Points from the Deposition
- The all-day deposition took place behind closed doors in New York.
- Clinton said he “saw nothing” and “did nothing wrong.”
- He stated he would have cut ties immediately and reported Epstein if he had known about any criminal conduct.
- He acknowledged flying on Epstein’s plane in the early 2000s but said he had no awareness of abuse.
- When questioned about a photograph showing him in a hot tub with an unidentified woman, he said he did not know her and denied any sexual relationship, according to a source cited by the BBC.
Clinton released his opening statement publicly before testifying and later posted a video reiterating that he had no knowledge of Epstein’s crimes “no matter how many photos they show.”
Bill Clinton faces Epstein questions
He called for full release of relevant Justice Department files and said survivors “deserve” transparency.
Political Context
The deposition followed testimony from Hillary Clinton, who also told lawmakers she had no knowledge of Epstein’s crimes.
Both Clintons initially resisted subpoenas, describing the investigation as politically motivated, before agreeing to testify as potential contempt proceedings advanced.
House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer described the session as “very productive” and said Clinton answered or attempted to answer every question. Video and transcripts are expected to be released.
The former US president Bill Clinton relaxes alongside an unidentified woman
Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
Democratic members, including Robert Garcia, said Clinton’s testimony included references to discussions involving Donald Trump and renewed calls for Trump to testify.
Comer said Clinton told lawmakers it was up to the committee to decide whether to call Trump and added that Clinton claimed no knowledge of Trump’s involvement in Epstein’s crimes. Comer said nothing in the deposition altered his view that Trump had been cleared of wrongdoing.
Broader Background
The Department of Justice has released millions of pages of material related to Epstein’s investigations. Appearance in those files does not indicate wrongdoing. Neither Bill nor Hillary Clinton has been charged, and no Epstein survivor who has come forward has accused them of misconduct.
Epstein died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.
According to congressional records, Clinton is the seventh sitting or former US president to testify before Congress.
