Clinton Calls on Trump to Testify in US House Epstein Hearing

Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Testifies Before Congressional Panel

Hillary Clinton, the former US Secretary of State, appeared before a Republican-led panel investigating links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The panel, comprising members of the House of Representatives, had subpoenaed Clinton to testify on Thursday.

Clinton published her opening statement online prior to her appearance, criticizing an “institutional failure” in the US government to seek truth and justice for victims and survivors. She also accused the Republicans of using the hearings as a distraction from President Donald Trump’s actions.

Clinton stated that she has provided all relevant information to the lawmakers on the panel and maintains that she had no knowledge of Epstein’s criminal activity. Her husband, former US President Bill Clinton, is set to testify before the same panel on Friday.

The conflict centers around a push for accountability for those who may have shielded Epstein from justice. Epstein was convicted in 2008 of soliciting a minor for prostitution and served only 13 months of an 18-month sentence as part of a plea deal. In 2019, federal prosecutors charged him with running a sex-trafficking ring, but he died by apparent suicide while in custody.

The Trump administration faced backlash over its initial resistance to publishing the government’s full Epstein file. Media reports have highlighted elements of Trump’s past relationship with Epstein, including a sexually suggestive birthday note. Clinton stated that if the House panel were committed to a fair investigation, it would ask President Trump directly under oath about his involvement in the Epstein files.

The Department of Justice published nearly 3.5 million government documents related to Epstein on January 30, which included an email exchange between Epstein and billionaire Elon Musk. The law passed in November required the Trump administration to release all its Epstein files within 30 days.

Source: Al Jazeera