Hillary Clinton — Opening Statement to the House Oversight Committee (February 26, 2026)
Overview
On February 26, 2026, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivered an opening statement in connection with a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee deposition tied to congressional inquiries into the federal handling of investigations involving Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
In the statement, Clinton said she had no information to provide about the criminal activities of Epstein or Maxwell. She stated that she did not recall ever encountering Epstein and said she had never flown on his plane or visited his island, homes, or offices. Clinton also criticized the direction of the congressional investigation and argued that oversight efforts should prioritize transparency, victim protection, and accountability for institutional failures that allowed Epstein to evade meaningful consequences for years.
Clinton publicly released the statement the same day, posting images of the full text.
Statement Summary
Clinton told the committee that it had justified its subpoena based on the assumption that she had information about investigations into Epstein and Maxwell, and she stated she did not.
She also referenced the 2008 resolution of the Florida case, criticizing the outcome as inadequate and stating it allowed Epstein to continue predatory behavior for years afterward. The 2008 case outcome has remained a central focus of public scrutiny and subsequent litigation history connected to the Epstein network.
Criticism of the Investigation
Clinton argued that congressional oversight should focus on the government’s handling of investigations and prosecutions tied to Epstein’s trafficking crimes. She criticized what she described as political theater and suggested the committee had not sufficiently pursued figures and institutions that appear prominently in the documentary record.
Her remarks referenced the broader body of records commonly called the “Epstein files,” including court exhibits, investigative releases, and related documentation compiled in timelines and evidence archives.
Relevant EpsteinWiki records include the Epstein Investigation Timeline, the Maxwell Trial Exhibits, the Epstein Civil Litigation, and flight documentation such as Epstein Flight Logs (Filed Exhibits).
Context
The committee’s deposition schedule and scope followed prior announcements and subpoenas related to the investigation of Epstein and Maxwell. House Oversight leadership previously stated that Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton agreed to appear for depositions on February 26 and February 27, 2026.
Significance
This statement is significant as a primary document because it is a prepared opening statement released in connection with formal congressional questioning rather than a retrospective media interview or anonymous-source reporting. It records Clinton’s denial of personal contact with Epstein and frames her position on what she described as institutional and political failures surrounding the investigation and handling of trafficking crimes.
Sources
- House Oversight Committee press release announcing Hillary Clinton deposition date (Feb. 3, 2026)
- Hillary Clinton post releasing her opening statement images (X, Feb. 26, 2026)
- Associated Press report on Hillary Clinton deposition (Feb. 26, 2026)
- Reuters report on Hillary Clinton testifying in the congressional Epstein probe (Feb. 26, 2026)
