Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday sharply criticized a Republican-led House investigation into the federal government’s handling of Jeffrey Epstein, accusing lawmakers of staging a partisan spectacle designed to distract from questions surrounding former President Donald Trump.
In an opening statement prepared for testimony before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Clinton said she had “no information” related to Epstein’s criminal activities and did not recall ever encountering the financier, who died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
“The Committee justified its subpoena to me based on its assumption that I have information regarding the investigations into the criminal activities of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell,” Clinton wrote. “Let me be as clear as I can. I do not.”
Clinton said she never flew on Epstein’s plane and never visited his private island, homes or offices, reiterating points she previously made in a sworn declaration in January.
The former Democratic presidential nominee used much of her statement to condemn the committee’s approach, arguing that the investigation should focus on systemic failures that allowed Epstein to avoid severe punishment for years rather than targeting political opponents.
“As we all know, however, too often congressional investigations are partisan political theater, which is an abdication of duty and an insult to the American people,” she said.
Clinton also criticized the committee for holding closed-door proceedings and for what she described as selective witness outreach. She noted that several former attorneys general submitted brief written statements saying they had no relevant information and that only one of eight subpoenaed law enforcement officials appeared before the panel.
Her testimony comes amid renewed scrutiny of Epstein’s network of associates and questions about federal prosecutorial decisions, particularly a controversial 2008 plea agreement in Florida that allowed him to avoid federal charges at the time.
Clinton framed her appearance as part of a broader political effort, saying lawmakers were compelling her testimony despite knowing she lacked relevant knowledge “in order to distract attention from President Trump’s actions and to cover them up despite legitimate calls for answers.”
She called for the full release of Epstein-related files with redactions only to protect victims and survivors, and she urged Congress to question Trump directly under oath about his connections to Epstein.
“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,” she said.
Clinton also highlighted her long-standing work on anti-trafficking efforts, dating to her time as first lady and later as secretary of state, when she oversaw global anti-trafficking programs and annual reports that could trigger sanctions against countries failing to combat trafficking.
She accused the Trump administration of weakening those efforts, saying cuts to the State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Office and delays in mandated reports signaled that combating human trafficking was “no longer an American priority.”
“That is a tragedy. It’s a scandal. It deserves vigorous investigation and oversight,” she said.
Clinton closed by challenging lawmakers to pursue what she described as substantive oversight rather than partisan conflict.
“The American people have given you power,” she wrote. “They expect statesmanship, not gamesmanship. Leading, not grandstanding.”
Committee leaders have said the investigation is focused on transparency and accountability surrounding federal handling of Epstein’s case and related matters. Republicans have argued that prominent political figures across parties should answer questions tied to Epstein’s activities.
Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted in 2021 on federal sex trafficking charges and is serving a 20-year prison sentence.
