Former Secretary of StateHillary Clintonsaid on Feb. 26 that Republican lawmakers who called her to testify aboutaccused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epsteinwere not serious in their investigations and should have made her testimony open to the public.
"They had a chance to do it in public and I wish they had done it in public, I think they're making the wrong decision by avoiding doing it in public," Clinton told reporters outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, where she wascalled to testifyin a closed-door hearing near her home in suburban New York.
Clinton was deposed by House lawmakers after they subpoenaed her for information about Epstein, the disgraced financier suspected of facilitating the philandering or worse of some of the world's richest and most powerful people. Among thosecaught upin the scandal — some facing serious consequences — are former Obama administration Treasury SecretaryLarry Summers, the United Kingdom's former PrinceAndrew Mountbatten-WindsorandMicrosoft founder Bill Gates.
Clinton said that she told the committee in her opening statementthat she knew nothingabout Epstein's criminal activity.
"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," she said in the statement to the committee, according to apost she made on X.
Clinton also urged the committee not to rely on press gaggles with PresidentDonald Trumpbut to ask him "directly under oath about the tens of thousands of times he shows up in the Epstein files."
Former President Bill Clinton is among the elite figures to appear in the so-called Epstein files, a trove of millions of documents the Justice Department has been releasing in accordance with a law passed by Congress and signed byTrump, Epstein'sonetime friendwho alsoappears prominentlyin the files.
Bill Clinton is expected to testify before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Feb. 27.
House Democrats on the Oversight Committee released photos from Jeffrey Epstein's email on Dec. 12, 2025, that show former President Bill Clinton and Ghislaine Maxwell with Epstein in this undated photograph. Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have agreed to give depositions to a House committee about accused late sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, defusing a potential showdown between the legislative and executive branches." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
See photos of Bill Clinton from the Epstein files
House Democrats on the Oversight Committee released photos from Jeffrey Epstein's email on Dec. 12, 2025, that show former President Bill Clinton and Ghislaine Maxwell with Epstein in this undated photograph.Former President Bill Clintonandformer Secretary of State Hillary Clintonhave agreed to give depositions to a House committee aboutaccused late sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, defusing apotential showdown between the legislative and executive branches.
What did Hillary Clinton say about being called to testify?
Clinton accused House lawmakers of going on "a fishing expedition" for information rather than questioning Justice Department officials who failed to prosecute Epstein.
"If the majority was serious, it would not waste time on fishing expeditions," she said. "What is being held back? Who is being protected? And why the cover-up?"
The former Democratic candidate for president who lost to Trump in the 2016 election said the questioning she faced "didn't seem to me to be very productive."
Advertisement
"It was very repetitive," Clinton told reporters Thursday. "They asked literally the same questions over and over again, which didn't seem to me to be very productive."
Some questions were "totally off subject," she said.
"If they are going to fulfill their responsibility literally to investigate the investigations," said Clinton, "they could have spent the day more productively."
Clinton's testimony behind closed doors comes after she had challenged Rep. James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky leading the inquiry, to ask her his questions in public.
"If you want this fight, @RepJamesComer, let's have it — in public," the former first ladysaid on social media. "You love to talk about transparency. There's nothing more transparent than a public hearing, cameras on."
Clinton said she has asked for video and the transcript of her testimony to be released as soon as possible.
What will Bill Clinton be asked?
Clinton's husband, the former president, will testify before the House Oversight Committee on Friday.
The former first lady appeared unphased when asked about the "numerous times" her husband appears in the Epstein files, including one photograph showing the 42nd president lounging in a hot tub. Another photo shows the former president in a pool with Epstein'sconvicted accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.
When asked if she was "100% confident" her husband didn't know about Epstein's crimes, the former first lady said, "I am."
"The connection he had with Epstein ended several years before anything about Epstein's criminal activities came to light," said Clinton.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:'Fishing expedition': Hillary Clinton berates probe after Epstein testimony