Image: from Mario Nawfal X @MarioNawfal
By Open Chronicle Staff with Agencies
Thursday, February 26, 2026
CHAPPAQUA, N.Y. — Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appeared before the House Oversight Committee on Thursday, delivering a fiery rebuke of Republican lawmakers during a historic closed-door deposition regarding late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Testifying at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center near her home, Clinton categorized the proceedings as “partisan political theater” and an “insult to the American people.” In an opening statement released to the public, she stated unequivocally that she had no knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and did not recall ever meeting the disgraced financier.
“I never flew on his plane or visited his island, homes, or offices,” Clinton said. “I have nothing to add to that.”
A High-Stakes Legal Standoff
The deposition follows months of escalating tension between the Clintons and the Republican-led committee. Both Hillary and former President Bill Clinton initially resisted subpoenas, dismissing them as “legally invalid.” However, the couple capitulated earlier this month after the House moved toward a bipartisan vote to hold them in criminal contempt of Congress.
Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) defended the inquiry, stating that the testimony is “critical to understanding Epstein’s sex trafficking network.” While Comer clarified that neither Clinton is currently being accused of wrongdoing, he insisted that their connections to Epstein’s circle, including Bill Clinton’s documented flights on Epstein’s private jet, warranted sworn testimony.
Accusations of a Cover-Up
Clinton used her appearance to go on the offensive, accusing the committee of using her as a “red herring” to distract from President Donald Trump’s own ties to Epstein. She pointed to the “thousands of times” Trump’s name appears in the recently released Epstein files and questioned why the committee had not compelled the President to testify under oath.
“This institutional failure is designed to protect one political party and one public official,” Clinton stated, referring to Trump.
The proceedings were briefly halted on Thursday afternoon after a photo of the deposition was leaked on social media. The breach of rules prompted a temporary suspension as lawyers for the Clintons questioned how the image, reportedly taken by a committee member, was shared with conservative media.
Democrats Call for Transparency
The top Democrat on the committee, Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), praised Clinton’s cooperation and joined her in calling for the immediate public release of the full, unedited transcript. “The American people have a right to know exactly what she said,” Garcia told reporters during a break.
The investigation is expected to continue on Friday, when former President Bill Clinton is scheduled to sit for his own deposition. Analysts expect his questioning to be significantly more extensive, given his documented travel history with Epstein in the early 2000s.