Hillary Clinton tells House 'I do not recall ever encountering' Jeffrey Epstein
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is accusing the GOP-led House Oversight Committee of using her to "distract" from President Donald Trump during her high-stakes testimony in Congress' Jeffrey Epstein probe.
"A committee endeavoring to stop human trafficking would seek to understand what specific steps are needed to fix a system that allowed Epstein to get away with his crimes in 2008," she is telling the panel, according to her opening remarks.
"But that's not happening. Instead, you have compelled me to testify, fully aware that I have no knowledge that would assist your investigation, in order to distract attention from President Trump's actions and to cover them up despite legitimate calls for answers."
Clinton is telling lawmakers, "As I stated in my sworn declaration on January 13, I had no idea about their criminal activities."
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"I do not recall ever encountering Mr. Epstein. I never flew on his plane or visited his island homes or offices. I have nothing to add to that," her remarks state.
"Like every decent person, I have been horrified by what we have learned about their crimes. It's unfathomable that Mr. Epstein initially got a slap on the wrist in 2008, which allowed him to continue his predatory practices for another decade."
The House Oversight Committee's deposition is officially kicking off on Thursday morning after months of back-and-forth.
"No one's accusing, at this moment, the Clintons of any wrongdoing. They're going to have due process," Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., told reporters shortly before it began. "But we have a lot of questions, and the purpose of the whole investigation is to try to understand many things about Epstein."
Hillary Clinton's deposition comes a day before her husband, former President Bill Clinton, will testify before the panel as well.
"Today will be a long deposition, I would assume, and tomorrow will be an even longer deposition," Comer said.
Both Democrats and Republicans on the committee, as well as the panel's staff, traveled to the Clintons' hometown of Chappaqua, New York for the two-day affair.
It's part of an agreement struck between the GOP-led panel and the former first couple's lawyers in order for them to appear in person.
Lawmakers on either side will have the opportunity to question Hillary Clinton in addition to their staffs.
Fox News Digital was told that Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., will be the first lawmaker to question the former first lady and Obama administration official.
Mace was one of four House Republicans who successfully forced a vote late last year on getting the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release files on Epstein, despite pressure from GOP leaders.
The South Carolina Republican, who is running for governor of the Palmetto State, told reporters on Thursday that she would also be questioning Hillary Clinton on Trump Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, among other names that have been mentioned in relation to Epstein.
Comer told reporters she would also be questioned on her ties to Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, pointing out that Maxwell was present at Chelsea Clinton's wedding in 2010, after the first allegations against Epstein surfaced.
He also suggested that Epstein and Maxwell's ties to the nonprofit Clinton Foundation would also see scrutiny.
"Again, we're not accusing Hillary Clinton of wrongdoing. We know that Jeffrey Epstein said many times in emails that he was the first person to raise money for the Clinton initiative, the Clinton Foundation, that he solicited money at some of his properties for the Clinton Foundation," Comer said.
"Again, that's not saying anything illegal, but there are a lot of questions pertaining to Secretary Clinton with respect to Epstein and his involvement in the Clinton initiative and her relationship with Ghislaine Maxwell."
But Clinton's prepared remarks show her accusing Republicans of going on a "fishing expedition" to find information that is not there.
"If this committee is serious about learning the truth about Epstein's trafficking crimes, it would not rely on press giggles to get answers from our current president on his involvement. It would ask him directly, under oath, about the tens of thousands of times who showed up in the Epstein files. If the majority was serious, it would not waste time on fishing expeditions. There is too much that needs to be done," her remarks said.
Neither of the Clintons has been accused of wrongdoing related to Epstein, nor has Trump. But both the current and former president's names appear in the Epstein files numerous times, alongside other well-known figures like Bill Gates and Leslie Wexner.