Chappaqua, New York
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Bill Clinton on Friday repeatedly denied having any knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes throughout what he stated was the pair’s “brief acquaintance” beneath greater than six hours of questioning from lawmakers who sought to unravel the previous president’s ties to the late convicted intercourse offender.
“I had no idea of the crimes Epstein was committing,” Clinton stated in his opening assertion to the House Oversight Committee, shared publicly on social media. “I know what I saw, and more importantly, what I didn’t see. I know what I did, and more importantly, what I didn’t do. I saw nothing, and I did nothing wrong.”
Clinton’s testimony capped a high-profile two days in the Republican-led panel’s Epstein inquiry, following the sworn testimony of his spouse the day before.
The look noticed lawmakers trek to Chappaqua, New York, to keep away from the spectacle of a former president testifying beneath oath in Washington. But Clinton’s deposition behind closed doorways was no much less historic. He turned the primary former president compelled to testify beneath subpoena earlier than a congressional committee, setting a brand new precedent that might have sweeping ramifications, together with for President Donald Trump.
Throughout the deposition, lawmakers stated, Clinton was cooperative and answered questions from each events, however there have been some cases he couldn’t bear in mind.
“I think everybody would agree that he’s been very cooperative, and he’s actually answering the questions fairly to the best of his ability. He has not taken a pass on pleading the fifth for any questions,” Rep. Robert Garcia, the highest Democrat on the Oversight panel, stated of Clinton.
Attorneys for the Clintons and the Republican-led panel negotiated behind the scenes – by way of electronic mail exchanges, letters and cellphone calls – for months over the phrases of the interview. Ultimately, the pair solely agreed to adjust to their subpoenas after the House had moved towards a bipartisan vote to carry them in prison contempt of Congress for refusing to seem as scheduled.
Unlike his spouse, who testified on Thursday that she never met Epstein, Clinton has a documented historical past of interactions with him and Ghislaine Maxwell – who was convicted in reference to Epstein’s crimes.
Lawmakers made Clinton reply for supplies which were made public from the Justice Department’s investigation into Epstein.
In one occasion, Clinton stated he didn’t know a girl with whom he was photographed in a jacuzzi – a picture that was extensively circulated after it was earlier made public by the Justice Department. Asked whether or not he had intercourse with the lady, whose face was redacted in the picture, the previous president stated he didn’t, in accordance with two sources conversant in his testimony.
Clinton was additionally proven quite a few pictures that includes him with ladies, and was requested if he had intercourse with them. Each time, Clinton stated no, the sources stated.
The panel additionally inquired about Clinton’s title showing in the flight logs of Epstein’s airplane, and about Epstein’s title showing in Clinton’s White House guests logs, two sources conversant in the testimony informed NCS.
Clinton voluntarily recounted to the House investigators that Trump informed him in the early 2000s at a golf event that he had a falling out with Epstein over a land deal, three sources conversant in the testimony informed NCS.
Trump stated he was not buddies with Epstein, Clinton recalled, in accordance with these sources. It was the previous president who volunteered his recollection of that dialog, one of the sources stated.
In his opening assertion, Clinton stated that “no matter how many photos you show [him],” it will not change his assertion that he noticed nothing unsuitable and did nothing unsuitable.
And addressing the more than a dozen times he traveled along with his staffers on Epstein’s personal airplane between 2001 and 2004, Clinton stated: “As someone who grew up in a home with domestic abuse, not only would I not have flown on his plane if i had any inkling of what he was doing—I would have turned him in myself and led the call for justice for his crimes, not sweetheart deals.”
The former president is listed on a 2025 FBI doc that compiled an inventory of greater than a dozen sexual assault allegations, together with towards Trump, that look like unverified.
Clinton has by no means been accused by legislation enforcement of wrongdoing associated to Epstein. His spokesperson has repeatedly acknowledged that Clinton reduce ties earlier than the disgraced financier was charged with soliciting prostitution in 2006 and didn’t find out about his crimes. Clinton has additionally denied ever having visited Epstein’s island.
Trump, equally, has lengthy denied any wrongdoing associated to Epstein.
The president, talking with reporters in Washington as Clinton’s testimony was underway, expressed wariness over seeing him questioned by lawmakers in a deposition.
“I don’t like seeing him deposed, but you know, they certainly went after me, a lot more than that,” Trump stated. “I like him, and I don’t like seeing him deposed.”
The former president in the end didn’t handle members of the media gathered outdoors of the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, as Hillary Clinton had a day prior.