Former President Bill Clinton Denies Wrongdoing In Closed-Door Epstein Deposition

Former President Bill Clinton gave a closed-door deposition Friday to the Republican-led House Oversight Committee in Chappaqua, New York.

“Democrats say released testimony shows she answered forcefully and effectively, while Republicans called some answers evasive”

41NBC News

The appearance was described as the first time a former U.S. president has been compelled to testify to Congress.

41NBC News

He opened by denying any knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein's crimes, repeatedly saying he "saw nothing, and I did nothing wrong."

Clinton's appearance followed a similar, day-earlier deposition by Hillary Clinton, and committee officials said transcripts and video would be released after review.

The session lasted roughly six to seven hours, and many news outlets described the event as unprecedented in U.S. congressional history.

Clinton acknowledged limited past contact with Epstein, saying he flew on Epstein’s plane for foundation-related travel in the early 2000s.

He said he had cut off contact long before Epstein’s 2008 guilty plea.

ABC News

He denied visiting Epstein’s private island and rejected suggestions in released images as proof of misconduct.

He said he would not have flown on Epstein’s plane had he known of abuse.

He said Epstein "hid it from everyone so well for so long."

Justice Department materials and flight records cited by investigators show Clinton’s name in files and images.

Some outlets noted that being photographed or named in those documents "does not by itself imply wrongdoing."

Republicans on the committee, led by Chair James Comer, pressured Clinton with records, photos and alleged travel ties.

“Former President Bill Clinton gave closed-door testimony Friday to the House Oversight Committee about his ties to financier Jeffrey Epstein, one day after Hillary Clinton testified before the same panel”

Al Jazeera

They publicly cited counts of Epstein’s visits to the White House and flights tied to Clinton, but Republican claims about those totals varied across outlets.

Comer asserted high numbers of visits and flights while Democrats called aspects of the presentation incomplete.

The Clintons initially resisted subpoenas but agreed to testify after threats of contempt.

Republicans said the depositions are meant to hold powerful people accountable and to probe whether any files were withheld by the Justice Department.

Democrats on the panel pushed back, calling parts of the inquiry politically motivated.

They urged that the committee also seek testimony from former President Donald Trump, whose name appears in Epstein-related files.

Associated Press News

Some Democrats said the depositions could set a precedent for compelling sitting or former presidents to answer under oath.

The committee said it will make deposition transcripts and accompanying video publicly available.

Members from both parties signaled potential further subpoenas for associates referenced in the files.

Key facts remain contested or ambiguous: news organizations cite different tallies for trips.

“WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Bill Clinton told members of Congress on Friday that he “did nothing wrong” in his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and saw no signs of Epstein's sexual abuse as he faced hours of grilling from lawmakers over his connections to the disgraced financier from more than two decades ago”

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The Justice Department-released files include redactions and images with anonymized women.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Some witnesses’ public statements conflict over events such as whether Clinton ever visited Epstein’s island.

Outlets noted that appearing or being named in the Epstein files has not amounted to criminal accusations for the Clintons.

Reporting emphasized that the depositions produced denials rather than new criminal charges.

Investigators said they will review transcripts, video and related documents before drawing conclusions.