Hillary Clinton defends herself in cross-examination about Epstein | EUROtoday

Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton firmly denied any data of crimes dedicated by convicted intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein throughout questioning earlier than the US Parliament. In her prolonged written opening assertion shared on social media, she stated she didn’t fly with Epstein or go to his non-public island or different properties. In basic, she doesn’t bear in mind any particular encounters with the monetary investor who died in custody in 2019 and can’t contribute any extra info to the investigation.

The questioning earlier than an investigative committee of the US House of Representatives is a part of a political investigation into Epstein’s abuse and intercourse trafficking community. It befell behind closed doorways on Thursday in Chappaqua, a group in upstate New York the place she lives together with her husband, former President Bill Clinton.

The Clintons had beforehand refused to testify for months. The Republican-led committee chaired by James Comer then initiated contempt of Congress proceedings, after which the Clintons lastly agreed to be interviewed in particular person. Democrats accuse Comer of conducting a politically motivated trial.

In her assertion, Hillary Clinton detailed her longstanding dedication to combating human trafficking and sexual exploitation. As a senator and later as international minister, supporting worldwide packages to fight intercourse trafficking and strengthening sufferer safety initiatives had been central to her work, not only a “political slogan.”

The authorities of US President Donald Trump, nevertheless, has taken steps backwards in defending these affected. She accused the Republicans of eager to distract from the dealing with of the so-called Epstein recordsdata with the present survey. The committee ought to as an alternative push for the total publication of the paperwork.

The questioning was briefly interrupted firstly after right-wing commentator Benny Johnson posted a photograph from the room on social media. According to media experiences, Clinton’s adviser Nick Merrill stated that an investigation was being carried out into how the image was leaked and whether or not home guidelines had been violated.

Epstein ran an abuse ring for years that victimized dozens of younger ladies and minors. The New York financier had wonderful contacts in politics, enterprise and excessive society at dwelling and overseas. He died in a jail cell in 2019. His long-time confidant and confederate Ghislaine Maxwell is serving a jail sentence for intercourse trafficking. Before the questioning started, Comer emphasised that the Clintons had been presently not accused of any wrongdoing. They wish to make clear how Epstein gained affect and wealth and which networks protected him.

The Ministry of Justice, amongst others, has come beneath stress because of the affair. Democratic lawmakers are investigating whether or not FBI interrogation protocols or different paperwork – together with paperwork referring to allegations in opposition to Trump – had been withheld as a part of the publication of the hundreds of thousands of pages of recordsdata. The ministry denies this and stated that solely paperwork that had been duplicate, privileged or associated to ongoing investigations weren’t made public. If paperwork had been incorrectly labeled by mistake, they might be printed after checking. Trump denies any wrongdoing associated to Epstein.

Trump signed a regulation handed by Congress in November 2025 to launch the Epstein recordsdata, after he had beforehand opposed launch for a very long time. The Republican repeatedly drew consideration to Bill Clinton and claimed with out proof that he had visited Epstein’s non-public island. The Clintons reject this. Bill Clinton can also be scheduled to testify behind closed doorways on Friday.