Former US President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary have called for their congressional testimony regarding ties to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein to be held in public, arguing that closed-door sessions would allow Republicans to weaponise the issue for political gain.
The Clintons were ordered to give depositions before the House oversight committee, which is investigating Epstein's connections to powerful figures and the handling of information about his crimes. Democrats contend the probe is being used to attack political opponents of President Donald Trump, a longtime Epstein associate who has not been called to testify.
Bill Clinton likened a private deposition to a 'kangaroo court', stating on social media: 'Let's stop the games and do this the right way: in a public hearing.' Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state, said the couple had already shared what they know with the committee and challenged Republicans to hold the session openly.
The Justice Department recently released over three million documents, photos and videos related to its investigation into Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while in custody. Bill Clinton appears regularly in the files, but no evidence has emerged implicating either Clinton in criminal activity. He acknowledged flying on Epstein's plane in the early 2000s for humanitarian work but denied visiting Epstein's private island. Hillary Clinton stated she had no meaningful interactions with Epstein.
