"I did nothing wrong and knew of no crimes," Clinton insists
Former presidential couple appear in succession before Congress
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton on February 27 (local time) completely denied allegations of association with Jeffrey Epstein, who was indicted for sex crimes involving minors. He asserted, "I have committed no illegal acts, nor was I ever aware of any related crimes in advance."
Former US President Bill Clinton has completely denied allegations of association with Jeffrey Epstein, who was indicted for sex crimes involving minors. Photo by AP Yonhap News
Prior to appearing at a closed-door investigation by the U.S. House Oversight Committee held near his home in New York State on this day, Clinton released a statement on the social media platform X, saying, "I did not know about Epstein's crimes," and emphasizing, "Photographs or past encounters do not prove knowledge of any crime." He continued, "I never witnessed anything myself, nor did I participate in any inappropriate behavior."
Clinton also referenced his personal experience growing up in a domestic violence environment, stating, "If I had had even the slightest suspicion about what he had done, I would not have used his private jet, nor would I have hesitated to report him immediately." He further explained, "By around 2008, when his crimes came to light, I had already cut off contact with him for a long time."
Clinton also stated that his spouse, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, "has no connection whatsoever to Epstein." He said, "My wife does not even remember meeting him, nor has she ever traveled with him or visited any of his private properties."
Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center after testifying before members of the U.S. House of Representatives regarding the congressional investigation related to Jeffrey Epstein, who was convicted of sex crimes in Chappaqua, New York. Photo by AP Yonhap News
Previously, former Secretary Hillary Clinton attended the same committee and provided closed-door testimony for about seven hours. Regarding the investigation, she claimed, "I have no knowledge of Epstein's crimes," and argued, "This summons is politically motivated to divert attention from the allegations surrounding the sitting president." She also called for the full release of the so-called 'Epstein files' and raised concerns about the investigation process.
The controversy began with documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice in December last year. These documents included photographs of former President Clinton with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's close associate and convicted accomplice, as well as images of him in close proximity to unidentified women, sparking public backlash. The Department of Justice has previously stated that some individuals in the photographs were victims of sex crimes.
Epstein was indicted on federal sex trafficking charges in 2019 and later died in jail, with investigators concluding his death was a suicide. Some within the Democratic Party are now calling for the investigation to be expanded, noting that the documents repeatedly mention the name of former President Donald Trump as well.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
