Bill Clinton Faces Historic Congressional Deposition Over Epstein Links
Democrats have pledged to grill former President Bill Clinton with hard questions regarding his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, while simultaneously launching renewed attacks on former President Donald Trump. Clinton, aged 79, is being deposed on Friday at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center in Westchester County, New York, where his wife Hillary Clinton faced questioning just a day earlier.
Political Crossfire Precedes Hearing
Republican and Democratic lawmakers spoke to reporters before the hearing commenced, with both sides exchanging sharp criticisms. Democrats were adamant that while Clinton has questions to answer, Trump should also be in the hot seat after being named extensively in the Epstein files. Representative James Walkinshaw vowed at a Friday press conference to ask the former Democratic president tough questions about his extensive relations with the financier.
Bill Clinton will make history on Friday as the first former president ever compelled to testify before Congress against his will. The 79-year-old is being hauled before lawmakers over his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein after being threatened with contempt charges.
Evidence and Denials
While Hillary Clinton told lawmakers she never met Epstein and only encountered Ghislaine Maxwell on a few occasions, Bill Clinton must answer to far more damning evidence. Photos released by Congress and the Department of Justice over recent months show the former president on a private jet with his arm around a young woman, swimming with Maxwell, and relaxing in a hot tub with another unidentified woman.
Clinton and Epstein were associated from the early 1990s into the early 2000s. Clinton states he flew on Epstein's private plane during Clinton Foundation trips before the financier was charged with any sex crimes, but denies wrongdoing and says he cut ties years before Epstein's 2006 arrest for soliciting prostitution from a minor. No evidence has emerged implicating either Bill or Hillary Clinton in criminal conduct related to Epstein.
Democratic Focus on Trump
Democrats argue that the precedent being set should also apply to Donald Trump, a Republican who had his own relationship with Epstein. Representative Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the committee, stated on Thursday, "We're demanding immediately that we ask President Trump to testify in front of our committee and be deposed in front of Oversight Republicans and Democrats."
Representative James Comer, the Republican chair of the House Oversight Committee, predicted Thursday that the ex-president's deposition will take even longer. He added, "The Clintons haven't answered very many, if any, questions about their knowledge or involvement with Epstein and Maxwell." Comer has pushed back on the idea of Trump testifying, saying Trump has answered questions on Epstein from the press.
Historical Context of Presidential Subpoenas
The legal battle over presidential testimony is not new. Only four ex-presidents—Donald Trump, Harry Truman, John Tyler, and John Quincy Adams—and one sitting president, Richard Nixon, have been formally subpoenaed by Congress to testify. Trump, Truman, Nixon, and Quincy Adams all refused to comply, while Tyler agreed to appear.
The Supreme Court has never definitively ruled on whether a president can be compelled to give testimony to Congress, though the Department of Justice has historically argued that presidents have testimonial immunity to protect the separation of powers. The Clintons argue that since Trump was allowed to ignore a subpoena in 2022, the same rules should apply to them.
Epstein Connections and Ongoing Investigations
Republicans have sought to question Clinton about Epstein for years, especially as conspiracy theories arose following Epstein's 2019 suicide in a New York jail cell while facing sex trafficking charges. Calls intensified late last year when new Department of Justice photos revealed deeper aspects of the well-publicized Epstein relationship.
Epstein visited the Clinton White House at least 17 times between 1993 and 1995, and the pair later made international trips together for humanitarian work. In a declaration to lawmakers last month, Clinton admitted flying on Epstein's plane in 2002 and 2003 while traveling internationally for the Clinton Foundation, stating Epstein "offered a plane that was big enough to accommodate me, my staff and my US Secret Service detail."
The former president said he never visited Epstein's private Caribbean island, Little St James, where many accusers say they were trafficked for abuse. Maxwell confirmed in an interview with the Justice Department last year that Clinton was never there.
Demands for Further Testimony
Democrats are also calling for the resignation of Trump's Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, citing his connections to Epstein. Lutnick was a longtime neighbor of Epstein in New York City but claimed he severed ties after a 2005 tour of Epstein's home. However, public case files show Lutnick had two engagements with Epstein years later, including a 2011 event at Epstein's home and a 2012 lunch on his private island.
A new photo emerged last night that appeared to have been deleted by the Justice Department, showing Lutnick on Epstein's private island, sparking renewed calls for his testimony and deepening concerns over alleged cover-ups. Representative Garcia stated, "He should be removed from office and at a minimum should come before the committee." Comer said on Thursday it was very possible Lutnick would be called to testify.
As the deposition unfolds, the political ramifications extend beyond Clinton, highlighting ongoing tensions over accountability and transparency in high-profile cases involving powerful figures.
