Bill Clinton blasts Republicans for deposing Hillary, says 'I did nothing wrong'
Bill Clinton blasts Republicans for deposing Hillary, says 'I did nothing wrong'
LALEE IBSSA, SARAH BETH HENSLEY and LAUREN PELLERSat, February 28, 2026 at 4:14 AM UTC
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Bill Clinton blasts Republicans for deposing Hillary, says 'I did nothing wrong'
Former President Bill Clinton, in his opening statement at his historic closed-door deposition before the Republican-led House Oversight Committee on Friday, denied any knowledge of the crimes committed by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, going on to say making his wife Hillary Clinton testify "was simply not right."
In his statement as released, he stated that he will often say, "I do not recall" throughout his questioning because the events were "all a long time ago."
"I saw nothing, and I did nothing wrong," Clinton said, according to the statement.
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Several hours after the deposition, Clinton released a video message on social media, reiterating much of what he prepared for his opening statement, denying having any indication of Epstein's crimes.
"When the video of my testimony today is released, I hope it will motivate everyone to go in front of Congress, to say what they know. I hope it will motivate the Justice Department to finally release all the files and to ensure that this never happens again. The survivors deserve that," Clinton said.
He added, "Though my brief acquaintance with Epstein ended years before his crimes came to light, and though I never witnessed during our limited interactions, any indication with what was truly going on, I offered the little I do know in the hope that it would help prevent anything like this from ever happening again."
The former president was grilled by the committee as part of its investigation into Epstein in Chappaqua, New York -- marking a historic moment for a former president. Friday's deposition was the first time a former president has been compelled to testify before a congressional panel.
Clinton faced questions under oath about his relationship with Epstein and photos that show the former president with both Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's co-conspirator who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for sex trafficking and other crimes.
Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer and Republicans called the session a "very productive deposition" when they emerged at the end of the day.
"I will have to say that President Clinton answered every question or attempted to answer every question," Comer said. "Everybody knows President Clinton. He's got southern people skills, he's a charming individual."
Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: Rep. Robert Garcia speaks to the press during a deposition with former President Bill Clinton as part of the committee's investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, in Chappaqua, New York, on Feb. 27, 2026.
Comer said the committee plans to release video of both Clintons' depositions "hopefully in the next 24 hours," but provided no specific timeline.
The chairman said the committee next plans to bring more individuals in to testify.
"Well, we have a lot of questions about anyone who spent time with Epstein post-conviction, the first conviction, I think that's where, and if anyone disagrees, feel free to speak up, but I think that's where most of our concerns are. Once you knew Jeffrey Epstein was a sex offender, why did you continue a relationship? So, stay tuned," Comer told ABC News' Rachel Scott.
Both Republicans and Democrats said the former president was cooperative in answering their questions during Friday's session.
"He's been pretty interested in answering, I think, all the questions of both the Republicans and the Democrats," Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the committee, said Friday afternoon.
The former president's testimony came a day after the committee questioned former Secretary of State and first lady Hillary Clinton over the couple's dealings with the convicted sex offender.
On Friday, Bill Clinton said he had to "get personal" and blasted the committee for forcing his wife to answer their questions.
"You made Hillary come in. She had nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein. Nothing. She has no memory of even meeting him. She neither traveled with him nor visited any of his properties," he said in his statement as released. "Whether you subpoenaed 10 people or 10,000, including her was simply not right."
In her deposition Thursday, Hillary Clinton said she did not know Epstein, could not recall ever encountering him and never visited him on his island or at his home or office.
Hillary Clinton, on Thursday, also gave a preview of how her husband, former President Bill Clinton, will handle his own deposition.
Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks to the press after her a deposition with the House Oversight Committee as they investigate links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, in Chappaqua, New York, Feb. 26, 2026.
"I think it is fair to say that the vast majority of people who had contact with him before his criminal pleas in '08 were like most people -- they did not know what he was doing. And I think that that is exactly what my husband will testify to tomorrow," she said.
Neither Bill Clinton nor Hillary Clinton has been accused of wrongdoing and both deny having any knowledge of Epstein's crimes.
No Epstein survivor or associate has ever made a public allegation of wrongdoing or inappropriate behavior by the former president or his wife in connection with his prior relationship with Epstein.
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Andres Kudacki/AP, FILE - PHOTO: In this Sept. 24, 2025, file photo, former President Bill Clinton speaks during the Clinton Global Initiative in New York.
Bill Clinton said in his opening statement that he had "no idea of the crimes Epstein was committing."
"No matter how many photos you show me, I have two things that at the end of the day matter more than your interpretation of those 20-year-old photos. I know what I saw, and more importantly, what I didn't see. I know what I did, and more importantly, what I didn't do," he said in his statement as released.
Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer reiterated Friday morning that the Clintons have been called to testify to try to answer questions about Epstein.
"No one's accusing anyone of any wrongdoing, but I think the American people have a lot of questions, and our House Oversight Committee is committed to getting answers," Comer said Friday morning.
Angelina Katsanis/AP - PHOTO: Rep. James Comer speaks outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center on Feb. 27, 2026, in Chappaqua, N.Y.
Bill Clinton's association with Epstein was first noted publicly in 2002 after reporters learned of the former president's flight that year on Epstein's jet for a humanitarian mission to multiple African nations.
Bill Clinton told New York Magazine through a spokesperson at the time that "Jeffrey is both a highly successful financier and a committed philanthropist with a keen sense of global markets and an in-depth knowledge of 21st century science."
Maxwell said in a recorded interview last year with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, that it was she, not Epstein, who had a friendship with Bill Clinton, and that she was the one who suggested and organized his trips on Epstein's aircraft.
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The Clintons were subpoenaed to appear under oath in front of the committee for a deposition in January, but failed to comply, arguing the subpoenas were without legal merit. Rather, they proposed a four-hour transcribed interview instead.
David Kendall, the Clintons' lawyer, argued that the couple has no information relevant to the committee's investigation of the federal government's handling of investigations into Epstein and Maxwell, and should not be required to appear for in-person testimony.
Kendall contended the Clintons should be permitted to provide the limited information they have to the committee in writing.
Comer had long threatened to hold the Clintons in contempt if they failed to appear before the committee, so when they didn't, a contempt resolution was drafted and put to a vote.
The Oversight Committee passed the contempt resolution with nine Democrats voting in favor of it, teeing it up for a full House vote.
At the last minute, just before the resolution was to be voted on in the House, the Clintons agreed to sit for a deposition, postponing further consideration of a contempt vote.
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Democrats on the committee said they hope this week's testimony from the Clintons spark Republican committee members to investigate more of Epstein's ties to President Donald Trump.
Trump has repeatedly denied any knowledge of Epstein's crimes and has said that he cut off contact with his former friend more than 20 years ago.
"We have said from day one that we want to talk to former President Bill Clinton, and the other person we want to talk to is current President Donald Trump," Garcia said.
Asked about Bill Clinton's deposition, Trump told reporters on Friday that he does not "like" seeing the former president have to testify.
"I don't like seeing him deposed," Trump said. "They certainly went after me a lot more than that. I like him, and I don't like seeing him deposed."
In November, Trump said he had ordered the Justice Department to investigate Clinton's relationship with Epstein.
While the Clintons agreed to speak with the committee behind closed doors, they have still pushed for public hearings as part of the committee's investigation.
"I will not sit idly as they use me as a prop in a closed-door kangaroo court by a Republican Party running scared," Bill Clinton wrote in a lengthy post on X before the deposition. "If they want answers, let's stop the games & do this the right way: in a public hearing, where the American people can see for themselves what this is really about."
ABC News' Ivan Pereira contributed to this report.
Source: “AOL Breaking”
