Bill Clinton asked about hot tub photo and testifies he knew ‘nothing’ of Epstein crimes

BBC:

Former President Bill Clinton told a congressional panel he “saw nothing,” and “did nothing wrong” in relation to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The all-day hearing behind closed doors in New York featured the former president being asked about his inclusion in newly released files related to the financier, including in a photo with an unidentified person in a hot tub.

His testimony came one day after his wife, ex-US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, told the committee she also “had no idea” of Epstein’s crimes.

Appearing in the files is not an indication of wrongdoing, and neither Clinton has been accused of misconduct by Epstein survivors who have come forward so far.

Clinton said that he would have cut off ties to Epstein and never would have flown on his plane if he “had any inkling of what he was doing”.

“I would have turned him in myself,” Clinton said in his opening statement released to the public ahead of his testimony.

After his testimony in New York, Clinton posted a video that largely repeated his opening statement, saying he did not know of Epstein’s crimes “no matter how many photos they show of me”.

“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,” Clinton said. “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.”

Both he and his wife had resisted subpoenas from the panel, dismissing them as politically motivated, before agreeing to testify before the House Oversight Committee as potential contempt-of-Congress proceedings loomed against them.

When questioned about the photograph showing the former president lounging in a hot tub with the person who appeared to be a woman – whose face is blacked out to protect her identity – Bill Clinton told lawmakers that he did not know her. When asked if he had sex with the woman, he said he did not, a source told the BBC.

Unlike his wife, Clinton did not come out and speak to reporters after his deposition wrapped up.