Hillary Clinton Interrupts Deposition Following Leaked Photo Incident
Hillary Clinton temporarily stopped her deposition regarding Jeffrey Epstein after a photo from the House Oversight Committee was leaked to conservative commentator Benny Johnson through Republican Representative Lauren Boebert. This action was labeled as a potential violation of chamber rules, which prohibit taking and distributing photos during such proceedings.
Rule Violation Allegations and Committee Response
A staffer for Clinton informed reporters that the hearing went off the record briefly, contravening rules announced at the meeting's start. Oversight staff are investigating the photo's origin and why members of Congress might be breaking House regulations. The staffer emphasized the seriousness of the breach, stating they aim to determine "where the photo came from" and "why possibly members of Congress are violating House rules."
Defense from Boebert and Johnson
Representative Lauren Boebert defended her decision to take the unauthorized photo of Hillary Clinton, asserting that Benny Johnson did nothing wrong by posting it. On her X account, Boebert declared, "Benny did nothing wrong. Proceeding with deposition." Johnson echoed this sentiment, arguing that the deposition is being filmed and will soon be released publicly. He criticized Clinton's reaction, posting, "This is insane. The deposition is being filmed. Hillary wanted it to be done LIVE on TV. The entire deposition will be released soon. Rep. Boebert gave me permission to post photo with credit. Hillary is trying to get out of answering questions about Epstein because of a pic!?!"
Clinton's Testimony on Epstein and Maxwell
During the closed-door hearing in Chappaqua, New York, Hillary Clinton stated she has no new information about Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. In her opening statement, which she shared on X, Clinton clarified, "I had no idea about their criminal activities. I do not recall ever encountering Mr. Epstein. I never flew on his plane or visited his island home or offices." She expressed frustration at being compelled to testify, suggesting the committee's motives were to distract from former President Donald Trump's actions. Clinton urged the committee to focus on Trump's involvement, writing, "If this committee is serious about learning the truth about Epstein's trafficking crimes, it would not rely on press gaggles to get answers from our current president on his involvement; it would ask him directly under oath about the tens of thousands of times he shows up in the Epstein files."
Upcoming Deposition and Broader Context
The deposition occurred at the Clintons' residence in Chappaqua, with the committee scheduled to meet former President Bill Clinton for a similar session on Friday. This event highlights ongoing political tensions and investigations into Epstein's network, underscoring the complexities of congressional oversight and media interactions in high-profile cases.
