Clintons call for public testimony in Epstein probe
The couple said private hearings could allow Republicans to use the issue for political attacks.
Former US president Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary Clinton, have called for their testimony before Congress regarding their past links to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein to be held in public.
The Clintons were asked to give closed-door depositions to the House Oversight Committee, which is investigating Epstein's ties with powerful individuals and how authorities handled information about his crimes. Epstein died in jail in 2019 in what was ruled a suicide.
The couple said private hearings could allow Republicans to use the issue for political attacks. Democrats have also accused Republicans of turning the probe into a political tool against critics of President Donald Trump. Trump was known to have associated with Epstein in the past but has not been asked to testify.
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House Republicans earlier warned they could vote to hold the Clintons in contempt if they refused to appear. The couple has since agreed to testify but insists it should be done publicly.
Bill Clinton said yesterday (February 6) that a closed-door deposition would be unfair. He compared it to a "kangaroo court" and urged Congress to hold a public hearing instead. Writing on X, he said the process should be transparent and free of political games.
Hillary Clinton, a former US secretary of state, said the couple has already shared what they know with the Republican-led committee. She said that if there is to be a political fight, it should take place in public view.
The committee is reviewing more than three million documents, photos and videos linked to the Epstein investigation. Bill Clinton's name appears in the files, but there has been no evidence showing that either Bill or Hillary Clinton was involved in any criminal activity.
Bill Clinton has previously acknowledged that he flew on Epstein's private plane in the early 2000s for humanitarian work linked to the Clinton Foundation. However, he has said he never visited Epstein's private island.
Hillary Clinton, who ran against Trump in the 2016 presidential election, said she had no meaningful contact with Epstein. She said she never flew on his plane and never visited his island.
