Hillary Clinton told the House Oversight Committee on Thursday that she “had no idea” about Jeffrey Epstein’s crime. After spending six hours speaking to the members of the congressional panel, she told reporters that she was “disappointed” her testimony was not public, “so I wouldn’t have to be out here characterising it for you.“

Hillary Clinton Speaks on Testimony

The Clintons have long denied any wrongdoing in connection with Jeffrey Epstein, who was arrested in 2019 for a multitude of sex crimes and committed suicide in a New York City jail. During Hillary’s testimony, she urged lawmakers to question President Donald Trump under oath about his previous association and friendly connection with the late sex offender.

Like the Clintons, Trump also denied any wrongdoing, but many assert, based on the newly released Epstein files, that he knows more than he lets on and was far more involved than he admits. “I want to see the truth come out,” Hillary said after the hearing concluded. 

Her husband, former President Bill Clinton, is expected to testify on Friday to his connection with Epstein, but presumably, he will deny the allegations as well. He will be the first former U.S. president to testify before a congressional panel since Gerald Ford in 1983. The two originally denied a deposition into the matter and resisted a subpoena from the congressional panel, but eventually agreed to testify once potential contempt-of-Congress proceedings were mentioned.

Hillary commended Chairman James Comer for hearing her out in specific areas of her testimony, which need to be explored, and raising significant questions in connection with the investigation. “I appreciated that. I want to see the truth come out, so that was a reassuring way to end a very long, repetitive deposition,” she said of the Chairman. In the same breath, she criticized Republican members of the committee for failing to question any other deponent about Epstein and his convicted associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.

As for Bill Clinton, who has been pictured in multiple photographs with Epstein and accounted for on his private plane, he has strongly held his position that he cut ties with him over two decades ago and was unaware of his crimes. He said they were connected after his presidency when he began his charity work, and has since expressed regret in associating with the financier.

Congressional Hearing

In a post on X, Hillary Clinton released a copy of her opening statement before her hearing. “I had no idea about their criminal activities,” she said of Epstein and his associate Maxwell. “I do not recall ever encountering Mr. Epstein. I never flew on his plane or visited his island, homes, or offices. I have nothing to add to that.” But she confirmed in an interview last week with the BBC that she had met Maxwell “on a few occasions.”

In the middle of the hearing, testimony was paused due to a photo leak from inside the session, which was closed to the public. Democrats say the photo taken and released to a conservative influencer by Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert was “completely against the rules.” Hillary said that due to Boebert’s actions, her team paused the hearing to ensure there would be no further rule violations.

It was apparent before the hearing that Democrats would defend Hillary’s testimony, but lawmakers have yet to reveal the specific questions that were asked. Rather, the proceedings proved to be pointless as they revealed nothing they did not already know. 

Democrats React to Hearing

The Top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, Congressman Robert Garcia, said he wants Hillary’s full and unedited testimony to be made public within the next 24 hours. He also demanded Trump testify before the committee, saying it “needs to happen right now.“

Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari, a Democrat from Arizona, criticized how Republicans handled the proceedings on Thursday. She called it an “unserious clown show” and said Republicans were less concerned about “getting to the truth and holding anyone accountable,” and more focused on capturing photos of the former US Secretary of State.