Hillary Clinton launched a blistering attack on Republicans during her closed-door deposition concerning Jeffrey Epstein on Thursday, accusing them of orchestrating a cover-up for Donald Trump while dragging billionaire Elon Musk into the controversy with references to his past communications with the disgraced financier.
Clinton's Fiery Opening Statement
The deposition commenced at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center in Westchester County, New York, near the Clintons' residence. In a fiery opening statement, Clinton zeroed in on a 2012 email exchange where Musk, a prominent Trump super-donor, inquired about the "wildest party" on Epstein's notorious private island, Little St. James.
"A committee run by elected officials with a commitment to transparency would ensure the full release of all the files," Clinton asserted. "It would subpoena anyone who asked on which night there would be the 'wildest party' on Epstein's island."
Elon Musk's Email Exchanges with Epstein
The correspondence, dated November 2012, began with Epstein asking Musk: "How many people will you be for the heli to island." Musk replied, "Probably just Talulah and me. What day/night will be the wildest party on your island?" referencing his then-wife, English actress Talulah Riley.
In a follow-up email sent at 6 a.m. on December 25, 2012, Musk wrote to Epstein: "I've been working to the edge of sanity this year and so, once my kids head home after Christmas, I really want to hit the party scene in St Barts or elsewhere and let loose." Epstein responded with a suggestive remark about the guest list, stating, "The ratio on my island might make Talilah uncomfortable." Musk countered, "Ratio is not a problem for Talulah."
Although Musk told Vanity Fair in 2019 that Epstein was "obviously a creep" and that he declined invitations to the island, the January release of 3 million Epstein files by the Justice Department revealed a series of cordial exchanges between the two, including discussions about a potential tour of SpaceX in 2013.
Deposition Thrown into Chaos
Clinton's statement was still resonating when the session descended into chaos. Republican Representative Lauren Boebert took a photograph of Clinton during the private deposition, and as it circulated on social media, lawyers demanded an immediate halt to proceedings.
The deposition, which is being filmed with footage subject to review by Clinton's lawyers before release, resumed within an hour after the disruption.
Clinton's Accusations Against Republicans
Prior to the turmoil, Clinton blasted Republicans for targeting her while allegedly failing to investigate Donald Trump. She provided no defense for her husband, former President Bill Clinton, and stated she has "no information on Epstein's criminal activities and never recalls meetings."
"You have compelled me to testify, fully aware that I have no knowledge that would assist your investigation, in order to distract attention from President Trump's actions and to cover them up despite legitimate calls for answers," Clinton declared.
She emphasized that Trump's name appears more than 38,000 times in the millions of Epstein documents released by the Department of Justice in January, questioning why the committee has not directly questioned him under oath.
Clinton's Epstein Connections
Despite her denials of any relationship with Epstein, records show Clinton received a $20,000 donation from him in 1999 while fundraising for the Democratic National Committee. Additionally, Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's infamous madam, attended Chelsea Clinton's wedding in 2010, years after Epstein's conviction for sexual abuse.
Clinton has previously admitted to meeting Epstein on several occasions. Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking, marking her as the only Epstein co-conspirator jailed to date.
Bill Clinton's Upcoming Testimony
Bill Clinton is scheduled to testify on Friday, becoming the first former president compelled to testify in a congressional investigation. His relationship with Epstein was extensive post-presidency, with flight logs indicating travel on Epstein's private jet to destinations including the Virgin Islands, Portugal, Siberia, Japan, and China.
The former president claims these trips were solely for charitable work. Photographs from the Epstein files show Clinton in a hot tub with a redacted woman and swimming with Maxwell and an unidentified woman. Epstein famously kept an oil painting of Clinton in a blue dress and red heels at his Manhattan mansion.
Republican Efforts and Broader Investigation
Republicans, who hold the majority on the House Oversight Committee, spearheaded the effort to bring the Clintons to testify as Donald Trump faced pressure to release the Epstein files. Democrat lawmakers are also participating in the deposition, which is part of a broader congressional investigation into the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein case.
House Oversight Chairman James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, stated: "The Clintons' testimony is critical to understanding Epstein and Maxwell's sex trafficking network and the ways they sought to curry favor and influence to shield themselves from scrutiny."
He added that their testimony may inform how Congress can strengthen laws to combat human trafficking, aiming for transparency and accountability for survivors and the American public.
Additional Revelations and Email Scrutiny
Lawmakers indicated plans to question Hillary Clinton about an email in the Epstein files showing Trump's Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick emailed Epstein about her 2016 presidential campaign. In November 2015, Epstein's assistant forwarded an invitation from Lutnick to a "very intimate fundraising event" for Clinton.
While it is unclear if Epstein attended, he made no donations to her campaign, according to Federal Elections Commission filings. Lutnick donated $2,700, the maximum allowed at the time.
The Epstein files also suggest Epstein and Maxwell played a key role in setting up the Clinton Foundation and Clinton Global Initiative. Maxwell herself was deposed as part of the bipartisan investigation, pleading the Fifth Amendment to avoid self-incrimination.
Clinton's Broader Advocacy Against Trafficking
In her statement, Clinton highlighted her lifelong advocacy against human trafficking, referencing her work as First Lady to pass the Trafficking Victims Protection Act and as Secretary of State to oversee anti-trafficking programs globally. She criticized the Trump Administration for gutting the Trafficking in Persons Office, delaying annual reports, and reducing prioritization of combating human trafficking.
"Infuriatingly, the Trump Administration gutted the Trafficking in Persons Office at the State Department," Clinton said. "The message from the Trump Administration to the American people and the world could not be clearer: combatting human trafficking is no longer an American priority under the Trump White House."
She concluded by challenging the committee to focus on truth and justice for survivors rather than partisan politics, urging them to use their power to address the global scourge of sex trafficking meaningfully.
