Former President Bill Clinton appeared before a congressional committee investigating Jeffrey Epstein connections on Friday, firmly denying any knowledge of the financier’s criminal activities while Democrats intensified calls for similar scrutiny of Donald Trump’s Epstein ties.
In his opening statement shared publicly, Clinton asserted he severed all connections with Epstein well before the financier’s 2008 conviction for sex offenses. “I saw nothing, and I did nothing wrong,” Clinton declared to the House committee conducting the deposition behind closed doors in Chappaqua, New York.
The proceedings revealed sharp political divisions, with Republican committee chair James Comer vowing to ask “lots of questions” about Clinton’s documented associations with Epstein, including 27 flights on Epstein’s private plane and 17 White House visits during Clinton’s presidency. Republican representative Anna Paulina Luna noted Clinton’s cooperative demeanor during questioning.
Democrats countered that the investigation unfairly targeted political opponents rather than pursuing legitimate oversight. Committee member Suhas Subramanyam stated, “Let’s be real, we are talking to the wrong president,” emphasizing that Clinton answered all questions while Trump should face similar scrutiny.
Clinton indirectly referenced Trump in his statement, noting that “no person is above the law, even presidents — especially presidents.” Trump responded with sympathy for Clinton, telling reporters he disliked seeing him deposed while maintaining skepticism about the investigation’s validity.
The deposition followed Hillary Clinton’s testimony on Thursday, where the former secretary of state challenged lawmakers to question Trump “directly under oath about the tens of thousands of times he shows up in the Epstein files.” Both Clintons had initially resisted subpoenas but complied after Republicans threatened contempt of Congress charges.
Notably, Bill Clinton acknowledged extensive interactions with Epstein through Clinton Foundation humanitarian work but denied visiting Epstein’s Caribbean island or having any awareness of his criminal activities. “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,” Clinton stated.
The proceedings occurred amid heightened security in Chappaqua, with dozens of journalists and Secret Service personnel surrounding the Clinton residence. Both Clintons criticized the closed-door format, with Bill Clinton comparing it to a “kangaroo court” and advocating for televised sessions.
Epstein died in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, with his death officially ruled a suicide though surrounded by persistent conspiracy theories.