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The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform released videos on Monday (March 2) of closed-door depositions with former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The Republican-led committee questioned the Clintons individually last week in Chappaqua, New York, as part of an inquiry into the federal government's handling of investigations into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his convicted co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell.
The videos, each lasting about four-and-a-half hours, capture the Clintons answering questions under oath. Hillary Clinton stated she did not know Epstein and had never visited his island, homes, or offices. She reiterated these points numerous times during her session on Thursday.
Bill Clinton's deposition on Friday marked the first time a former president was compelled to testify before a congressional committee. In his prepared remarks, Clinton denied any knowledge of Epstein's crimes and defended his wife, stating that making her testify was "simply not right." He acknowledged flying on Epstein's plane for Clinton Foundation travel in the early 2000s but denied any wrongdoing or awareness of Epstein's illegal activities, according to NBC News.
The Clintons have not been accused of any wrongdoing, and no Epstein survivor or associate has publicly alleged inappropriate behavior by them. Bill Clinton's association with Epstein was first noted in 2002 when he flew on Epstein's jet for a humanitarian mission to Africa. Flight logs show he took multiple international trips on Epstein's plane but never to Epstein's island.
The Clintons were initially subpoenaed to appear for depositions in January but proposed a transcribed interview instead. After a contempt resolution was passed, they agreed to testify, postponing further action. Transcripts of the interviews will be released after review by multiple parties, including the Clintons.