Epstein's ex refuses to answer on his crimes in US Congress, seeks Trump clemency
Committee members had sought detailed answers on Epstein's network and the circumstances that allowed him to abuse underage girls for years. However, Maxwell declined to respond, repeatedly citing her Fifth Amendment rights.
Ghislaine Maxwell, the former associate of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, refused to answer questions from the US House Oversight Committee during a closed-door deposition on Monday, invoking her constitutional right against self-incrimination.
The deposition was conducted via video link from a federal prison camp in Texas, where Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking.
Committee members had sought detailed answers on Epstein’s network and the circumstances that allowed him to abuse underage girls for years. However, Maxwell declined to respond, repeatedly citing her Fifth Amendment rights. However, her lawyer suggested that she would be willing to testify if granted clemency by Donald Trump.
GHISLAINE MAXWELL APPEALS TO TRUMP FOR CLEMENCY
In a statement submitted to lawmakers, her attorney David Oscar Markus said, "Maxwell is prepared to speak fully and honestly if granted clemency by President Trump."
He added that both Trump and Bill Clinton "are innocent of any wrongdoing," and that "Ms. Maxwell alone can explain why, and the public is entitled to that explanation."
The deposition took place against the backdrop of a document release by the United States Department of Justice, which has made public millions of internal files linked to Epstein.
Among the materials are photographs showing Donald Trump with several women whose identities have been obscured, as well as a sexually suggestive note addressed to Epstein, framed by the outline of a naked woman and appearing to carry Trump’s signature.
Trump has strongly denied any connection to Epstein’s crimes. He has said he cut ties with the disgraced financier in the early 2000s, years before Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to a prostitution-related charge in Florida. Trump has also dismissed the note as a forgery, claiming it was fabricated and does not reflect any past relationship with Epstein.
Lawmakers noted that neither Trump nor Clinton has been credibly accused of criminal conduct in relation to Epstein, despite past social links.
DEMOCRATS CALL CLEMENCY APPEAL ‘BRAZEN’
Democratic lawmakers criticised Maxwell’s approach, saying it appeared to be an attempt to leverage testimony for personal benefit.
"It’s very clear she’s campaigning for clemency," said Melanie Stansbury.
Another Democrat, Suhas Subramanyam, described Maxwell’s conduct during the short video appearance as "robotic" and "unrepentant."
Republican opposition to any suggestion of clemency also surfaced quickly. Anna Paulina Luna wrote on social media: "NO CLEMENCY. You comply or face punishment. You deserve JUSTICE for what you did you monster."
SUPREME COURT REJECTS LEGAL APPEAL
Maxwell continues to challenge her conviction, arguing that she was wrongfully convicted. The Supreme Court of the United States rejected her appeal last year. In December, her lawyers filed a fresh request in New York, citing what they called "substantial new evidence" of constitutional violations. Her attorney pointed to that ongoing legal effort as the reason she declined to answer lawmakers’ questions.
Family members of the late Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s most prominent accusers, also weighed in. In a public letter, her relatives rejected the idea that Maxwell was merely a bystander.
Committee chair James Comer said he was disappointed by the outcome. He said the enquiry was far from over, with five more depositions lined up in the coming weeks, including sessions on February 26 with Hillary Clinton and on February 27 with her husband, former President Bill Clinton, as investigators press ahead with efforts to piece together the full picture of Epstein’s network.
Maxwell was transferred to the Texas facility last year after two days of interviews with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.