Hillary Clinton Halts Deposition After Photo Leak, Denies Epstein Knowledge
Hillary Clinton temporarily stopped her deposition on Jeffrey Epstein after a photo from the House Oversight Committee was leaked to conservative commentator Benny Johnson through Republican Representative Lauren Boebert. This incident was flagged as a potential violation of chamber rules, which prohibit taking and leaking photos during testimony.
Violation of Rules and Immediate Response
A staffer for Clinton informed reporters that the hearing went off the record briefly, stating, "which is against chamber rules that were read at the top of the meeting." Oversight staff are actively investigating the source of the photo and why members of Congress might be breaking House rules.
Representative Boebert defended her actions, asserting that taking the unauthorized photo was justified and that Benny Johnson did nothing wrong by posting it. On her X account, Boebert said, "Benny did nothing wrong. Proceeding with deposition."
Controversy Over the Photo Leak
Benny Johnson responded on social media, arguing, "This is insane. The deposition is being filmed. Hillary wanted it to be done LIVE on TV. The entire deposition will be released soon. Rep. Boebert gave me permission to post photo with credit. Hillary is trying to get out of answering questions about Epstein because of a pic!?!"
This exchange highlights the tension between transparency and procedural rules in high-profile political hearings.
Clinton's Testimony on Epstein
During the closed-door hearing in Chappaqua, New York, Hillary Clinton stated she has no new information about Jeffrey Epstein and his co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell. In her opening statement, which she posted on X, Clinton said, "I had no idea about their criminal activities. I do not recall ever encountering Mr. Epstein. I never flew on his plane or visited his island home or offices."
She criticized the committee, writing, "[Y]ou have compelled me to testify, fully aware that I have no knowledge that would assist your investigation... in order to distract attention from President [Donald] Trump's actions and cover them up despite legitimate calls for answers."
Clinton further urged the committee to focus on current President Trump, stating, "If this committee is serious about learning the truth about Epstein's trafficking crimes, it would not rely on press gaggles to get answers from our current president on his involvement; it would ask him directly under oath about the tens of thousands of times he shows up in the Epstein files."
Upcoming Deposition and Broader Context
The deposition took place at the Clintons' home in Chappaqua, New York. The committee is scheduled to meet with former President Bill Clinton on Friday for a similar deposition, continuing the investigation into Epstein-related matters.
This event underscores ongoing political divisions and the complexities of handling sensitive testimonies in congressional inquiries.
