Bill Clinton says in House testimony he had ‘no idea’ about Epstein’s crimes | Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton told a congressional committee on Friday that he had “no idea of ​​the crimes” committed by Jeffrey Epstein and insisted he “did nothing wrong” in his relationship with the disgraced financier and convicted sex trafficker.

The former president’s remarks came in his opening remarks to the House oversight committee, a day after his wife, Hillary Clinton, appeared before the same body and called the hearing “partisan political theater” and an “insult to the American people.”

Before testimony began, committee chairman James Comer said the former president would be subjected to a “huge portfolio of questions” after Hillary Clinton deferred to at least a dozen questions about the couple’s relationship with Epstein, who died in custody in 2019.

Speaking to reporters after the testimony, which lasted about six hours, Comer said he believed it was “very productive” and that the former president answered every question.

“There remains a consistent theme in all the people we bring in – it is obvious that the government has failed the victims,” he said. “Justice was not served in Palm Beach when Epstein was first arrested.”

Bill Clinton said in his statement that he would have reported Epstein’s crimes if he had known about them, and referred to his upbringing in an abusive family.

“As someone who grew up in a domestic violence home, if I had the slightest idea what he was doing I would not only have flown on his plane, but I would have delivered him myself and led the call for justice for his crimes, not for his love dealings,” she said in a statement posted on social media after Friday’s hearing began.

“But even looking back, I didn’t see anything that could stop me. We’re here because he hid it so well from everyone for so long.”

When Epstein’s crimes came to light as a result of a plea agreement in 2008, Clinton announced that she had ended their relationship. Clinton also reportedly told the committee that she spoke to Donald Trump about Epstein at a golf tournament in the early 2000s and that Trump told her they had fallen out.

During a break in Friday’s hearing, Comer told reporters that the former president had suggested that Trump (who Democrats also say should be subpoenaed to appear before the committee) was “not involved” in Epstein’s crimes.

“[Ranking Democrat Robert] Garcia asked President Clinton: ‘Should President Trump be called to answer this committee’s questions?’ And President Clinton said: ‘You decide that,'” Comer said.

“And [Clinton] He went on to say that when President Trump met with Epstein, he said nothing that would suggest he was involved.”

Later, as Democrats addressed reporters, Garcia objected to Comer’s comment.

“I think the best answer to that would be to see the full record of what he actually said,” Garcia said.

“President Clinton revealed some additional information about some conversations with President Trump. I don’t think the way Chairman Comer described it is a full and accurate description of what was actually said.”

In testimony on Thursday, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she had never met Epstein.

After the hearing, the woman complained about the repetitive nature of the questions and said that she was also asked about UFOs and the “Pizzagate” conspiracy theory.

Comer attributed the recurrence to “many documents suggesting an affair with Epstein.” Comer added that Hillary Clinton and Epstein communicated frequently.

The former Democratic president flew on Epstein’s private jet several times in the early 2000s but said he never visited his island. Comer said Hillary Clinton confirmed that during her husband’s presidency, Epstein visited the White House 17 times — as listed in the presidential mansion’s visitor logs — and flew on Epstein’s plane, nicknamed the “Lolita express,” at least 27 times.

Bill Clinton, who had an extramarital affair during his presidency and was accused of sexual harassment by three women, is also seen in a jacuzzi with Epstein and a woman whose identity has been changed, in a photo from the recently disclosed files.

former president He told deputies he wasn’t sure who the woman was According to CNN, citing unnamed sources familiar with the statement, the photo included: Clinton was also asked if he had had sex with the woman shown in the photo and several others, and he reportedly said he had not.

Clinton also said she cut ties with Epstein in about 2005, before he pleaded guilty to molesting a minor in Florida.

Clinton denied the sexual harassment allegations and was not charged with any crime. He also has not been charged with any crimes related to Epstein.

Speaking outside the performing arts center near the Clintons’ home in Chappaqua in upstate New York, where their hearings were held, South Carolina Republican representative Nancy Mace told reporters that she appreciated Clinton’s testimony and tried to answer every question asked and “even when her lawyers told her to shut up, she kept going.”

But he added that he believed there were inconsistencies in the Clintons’ responses.

Mace struck a very different tone when referring to Hillary Clinton’s statement, calling her “out of her mind.” Mace told reporters Clinton responded to some of his questions by “screaming.”

The claim was refuted by Garcia, who called on the Republican majority to release unedited video footage of the hearing. “I think it’s beyond mischaracterization to say the secretary was screaming. What happened yesterday was a disgrace; asking about UFOs, [and] “Pizzagate conspiracy theories,” he said.

Democrats called for Trump to be questioned before the committee. Clinton’s appearance made him the first former president to testify before Congress since Gerald Ford in 1983.

“Today, a new precedent has been set in America,” said Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who co-sponsored legislation mandating the release of the Epstein files.

“There’s now the Clinton rule: Presidents and their families must testify when Congress issues subpoenas. That means Donald Trump must appear before our committee and explain what he knows about Epstein.”

A House committee subpoenaed the Clintons in August. They initially refused to testify, but agreed after Republicans threatened them with contempt.

While the Clintons requested their testimony be held publicly, the former president stated that doing so behind closed doors would amount to a “kangaroo court.”