Epstein deposition videos show Hillary Clinton in heated moments with lawmakers, Bill Clinton addressing hot tub photo
CNN
By Annie Grayer, MJ Lee, Aaron Blake, Emily Condon, Dugald McConnell, CNN
(CNN) — The House Oversight Committee on Monday released video of the closed-door depositions of Bill and Hillary Clinton that occurred last week as part of the panel’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.
The former president and secretary of state each faced roughly 4 ½ hours of questioning from Democratic and Republican lawmakers in their home city of Chappaqua, New York.
The much-anticipated depositions were the result of weeks of political and legal tussling that included the Clintons initially declining to testify. After House Republicans threatened to hold both in contempt of Congress, for which they could have faced criminal charges, the Clintons agreed to appear for the in-person depositions.
Both depositions were heavier on political posturing than significant new information.
While Bill Clinton has more of a documented relationship with Epstein, it was Hillary Clinton’s deposition that was often the more animated of the two. She repeatedly raised her voice with congressional Republicans who she suggested were out for political gain rather than for real information.
Bill Clinton, with a calmer demeanor and visibly shaking hands, denied having any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes during what he said was the pair’s “brief acquaintance.”
Lawmakers repeatedly showed the former president photos of him with women from Epstein materials recently released by the Justice Department, asking whether he had sex with them. Each time, he told them he did not.
Hillary Clinton tangled especially with some of the more outspoken female Republicans on the House Oversight Committee, balking at their questions about her husband’s ties to Epstein and the “Pizzagate” conspiracy theory, and becoming furious when one of them shared a picture of her testifying, which is against House rules.
Here are key moments from the depositions.
Bill Clinton denies sexual activity in infamous hot tub photo
Around halfway through Bill Clinton’s deposition, the former president denied engaging in any sexual activity related to a photo of him in a hot tub near a woman whose face was redacted.
“I sat in the hot tub for five minutes or whatever it was, and I got up and went to bed,” Clinton told Republican Rep. Nick Langworthy of New York.
When asked whether he engaged in sexual activity with the person, Clinton said no.
“I don’t know who that is,” Clinton said when asked who the person was.
The former president said he thought everyone in the pool area was part of his travel party, which included Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and a team working on Clinton’s HIV/AIDS initiative. Clinton and his team showed an additional photo that was described to show the larger area with a pool next to the hot tub.
Clinton said he was “almost sure” the photo had been taken during a trip to Brunei, where the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference was being hosted in 2000.
Clinton stressed that the sultan of Brunei insisted that he stay at the hotel and encouraged him to use the pool.
Bill Clinton downplays his note in Epstein’s 50th birthday book
President Donald Trump has denied authoring a letter that appeared in an album for Epstein’s 50th birthday in 2003, and he’s even sued the Wall Street Journal over its report on the matter.
Bill Clinton, whose name also appears on one of those letters, acknowledged authoring it while downplaying it.
Clinton told the panel that, despite his note, he did not consider Epstein a “friend” — and that he’s written “hundreds and hundreds” of birthday greetings to people over the years.
Clinton, asked whether he knew of Epstein’s “inappropriate activities” at the time he penned the note, responded: “Absolutely not. I knew nothing about that.”
Rep. Mace goads Hillary Clinton with photos of Bill
Republican Rep. Nancy Mace repeatedly goaded Hillary Clinton to share her reactions to photos showing Bill Clinton with women and Epstein. The latter part of Clinton’s presidency was derailed by his marital infidelity.
Hillary Clinton declined to weigh in on the photos she had seen. She repeatedly said she would not share such “opinions” and that she was there to testify about specific matters.
When Mace persisted, Clinton suggested she was employing “innuendo,” but the South Carolina Republican said she was asking “black-and-white” questions.
Finally, when Mace asked whether Clinton did anything to investigate her husband’s interactions with Epstein after learning about the allegations against him, Clinton hit back.
“I don’t find any of your questions to be relevant to the investigation,” she said.
Hillary Clinton leaves after GOP lawmaker releases photo from deposition
About an hour and 20 minutes into her deposition, Hillary Clinton became furious that a Republican congresswoman had released a photo from her deposition, which is against House rules.
Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado shared the photo with conservative influencer Benny Johnson.
“I’m done with this,” Clinton said. “If you guys are doing that, I am done. You can hold me in contempt from now until the cows come home. This is just typical behavior.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sakes,” an exasperated Clinton added.
Boebert eventually said she would take the photo down. (Publicly, the congresswoman has been unapologetic.)
Democrats asserted this was a violation of House rules, and the deposition to was paused while the two sides negotiated how to move forward.
The Clintons had repeatedly said they wanted to appear in public.
“I will confess that I had some concerns about whether the majority on the committee would treat me fairly and … fairly convey what I say and what I did and I how I looked and how I responded,” Hillary Clinton said at one point, adding that if the hearing was public the photo would not have been an issue.
Bill Clinton says he does not recall ever meeting Jeffrey Epstein at the White House
Bill Clinton told the committee he didn’t recall ever meeting Epstein at the White House when he was president.
A lawyer for the committee’s Democratic side informed Clinton that their records indicate that Epstein visited the White House 17 times between 1993 and 1995 — years when Clinton was president.
Clinton said that while he has now seen a photograph from a White House Historical Association reception, he doesn’t have specific recollection of seeing Epstein at that event. As for the other 16 times Epstein was recorded as having visited the White House, Clinton said, “I don’t think I did” meet with the financier.
“I don’t know who he saw,” Clinton added.
Hillary Clinton and Mace get into a heated exchange over Howard Lutnick
When Mace asked Hillary Clinton how she knew Howard Lutnick in the early 2000s, the deposition got heated.
At the time, Lutnick, whose ties to Epstein have emerged while now serving as Trump’s Commerce secretary, was leading a New York City firm that was devastated by the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack.
When Clinton started answering how she knew Lutnick, Mace interrupted her. An unidentified voice instructed Mace to let Clinton finish.
“You asked the question. I’m going to answer your question,” Clinton said, appearing to raise her voice.
Mace shot back: “I’m a survivor trying to look out for other survivors,” adding that the panel had waited six months to hear Clinton’s testimony.
Clinton, who was a senator from New York at the time of the attacks, banged the table as she responded: “I was taking care of the people who lost 3,000 lives at the World Trade Center.”
Mace accused Clinton of being “defiant and indignant” in her responses.
The GOP lawmaker was questioning whether Clinton ever tried to solicit money directly from Epstein. She said she had an email of Lutnick inviting Epstein and his people for an “intimate event” on behalf of Clinton at his New York City offices.
But Clinton said she knew nothing about that.
A GOP congresswoman decided to ask Hillary Clinton about Pizzagate
In a particularly bizarre exchange, Boebert asked Hillary Clinton whether she had reviewed any emails in the Epstein files pertaining to the “Pizzagate” conspiracy theory from the 2016 election season.
Pizzagate was a baseless online conspiracy theory that was widely shared a decade ago. It claimed that a cabal of pedophiles was running the government and sacrificing children. An adherent eventually appeared at the restaurant cited in the conspiracy theory and fired a gun.
Some online theorists have argued that the Epstein files contain coded references to Pizzagate. While trying to clarify the question, Clinton’s lawyer referred to it as a “wacky.”
“You can characterize it however you want,” Boebert told him.
When Clinton’s other lawyer clarified the question again, the former secretary of state gave a wry smile.
“Pizzagate was totally made up,” Clinton said eventually. “It was an outrageous allegation that ended up hurting a number of people that caused a deranged young man to show up with his assault rifle and shoot up a local pizzeria. I can’t believe you’re even referencing it.”
“There are connections to the — the language,” Boebert responded.
“Well, the QAnon people believe there are,” Clinton responded.
After a lengthy exchange, Clinton reflected: “I expected a lot of interesting questions today, but Pizzagate was not on my list.”
Bill Clinton describes Trump and Epstein falling-out
Bill Clinton told the House Oversight Committee that he remembered having a conversation in the early 2000s with Trump in which Trump described having had a falling-out with Epstein over a land dispute.
Clinton told lawmakers that in 2002 or 2003, he attended a charity golf tournament in New York, and that he recalls Trump telling him: “We had some great times over the years but we fell out, all because of a real estate deal.”
“He said, ‘I’m sorry it happened,’” Clinton added.
Asked whether Trump at the time elaborated on the “great times” he had with Epstein, Clinton responded that he did not. Clinton also said he did not read into those specific comments at the time, saying: “I didn’t put any, you know, sexual spin on it.”
Clinton’s description of the brief conversation with Trump from years ago came when the Democratic side of the committee asked whether he believes the president should also be deposed.
“That’s for you to decide,” Clinton said.
He then said: “The president, never — this is 27 years ago — never said anything to me to make me think he was involved with anything improper with regard to Epstein either. He just didn’t.”
Republican lawmakers have pointed to these comments to suggest that Trump is clear of wrongdoing related to Epstein.
Bill Clinton says he did receive a neck rub from a woman during 2002 Africa trip
Bill Clinton said during his deposition that he received a “back rub” from a woman during a 2002 Africa trip.
“You’ve seen the pictures. There was one time when I was sitting up and I got a back rub. A neck rub,” Clinton said.
Clinton mentioned the name of the person who he believed gave him the back massage, but added about the identity of that person: “But I’m not sure.”
Clinton also said he was not aware of the presence of underage girls on that trip.
This story has been updated with additional information.
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