Hillary Clinton Questioned in Epstein Probe
The Epstein probe intensified after former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appeared before a Republican-led congressional committee investigating the network of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
During the closed-door session, Clinton denied having any knowledge of Epstein’s criminal activities. She told lawmakers she did not recall meeting Epstein, had never visited his private island, and had never flown on his aircraft. Clinton argued that the Epstein probe was being used for political purposes and accused investigators of focusing on protecting political allies rather than uncovering the truth.
Clinton also called on U.S. President Donald Trump to testify under oath regarding his alleged connections to Epstein. She claimed that if investigators wanted the full story, Trump should be directly questioned about references to him contained in recently released documents linked to the case.
The investigation is being led by the House Oversight Committee chaired by James Comer, who stated that the goal of the Epstein probe is to understand the extent of Epstein’s network and activities. Comer confirmed that former U.S. President Bill Clinton is also scheduled to testify.
Democratic lawmakers on the committee supported calls for Trump to testify. Representative Robert Garcia said the president should answer questions raised by Epstein’s victims and the public. Another committee member, Suhas Subramanyam, claimed that missing FBI documents may contain serious allegations connected to Trump, though no criminal wrongdoing has been proven.
Epstein died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. The Epstein probe seeks to identify individuals connected to Epstein and determine whether additional criminal conduct occurred within his network. Authorities have stressed that appearing in the documents does not mean a person committed a crime.
The Clintons initially resisted subpoenas ordering them to testify but agreed after lawmakers threatened contempt proceedings. Both Hillary and Bill Clinton requested that their depositions be made public, but the committee insisted on closed-door questioning.
Bill Clinton has previously acknowledged flying on Epstein’s plane multiple times during the early 2000s for humanitarian work connected to the Clinton Foundation. However, he has denied ever visiting Epstein’s Caribbean island.
Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking offenses connected to Epstein’s activities.
The release of Epstein-related documents has triggered global attention and legal consequences in multiple countries. Investigators say the Epstein probe remains ongoing as authorities continue to examine Epstein’s network of powerful associates across politics, business, and public life.
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Adapted from AFP / News Report
