CHAPPAQUA, New York - It's been more than 26 years since Bill and Hillary Clinton made their home in this wooded, affluent community about 35 miles north of Manhattan.
The hamlet has served as a backdrop for the Clintons' life after the White House. It has also been the place from where Hillary Clinton launched a career in politics in her own right: U.S. Senator from New York. Secretary of State. Two-time presidential candidate.
Hillary Clinton delivered her historic 2016 Democratic National Convention nomination acceptance speech via satellite from Chappaqua'sCrabtree's Kittle House,a popular local restaurant and inn.
The motorcade believed to be carrying former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton makes its way toward the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, as
Clinton is scheduled for a deposition as part of the House Oversight Committee's investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, in Chappaqua, New York, on Feb. 26, 2026." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
House Oversight Committee deposes Hillary Clinton in Chappaqua, NY
The motorcade believed to be carrying former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton makes its way toward the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, asClinton is scheduled for a depositionas part of the House Oversight Committee's investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, in Chappaqua, New York, on Feb. 26, 2026.
Two days after her crushing defeat byDonald Trumpin the 2016 presidential election, a picture taken by a supporter who ran into the Clintons in the "Chappaqua woods" behind their home went viral as a symbol of resilience.
Over a decade later politics took the spotlight again on Feb. 26, whenHillary Clinton testified to lawmakers under subpoenaand behind closed doors from the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center about the couple's relationships with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his convicted co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell.
The arts center is located less than a mile away from their sprawling, white Dutch clapboard colonial home on Old House Lane and sits in the old Reader's Digest campus, which has now been redeveloped as a retail-office-residential complex.
On this quiet Thursday, with snow still on the ground, people went about their business, getting coffee, reporting to work and shopping at the Whole Foods in the plaza.
While the national media had trained their eyes on Clinton's arrival, there were no curious onlookers waiting to catch a glimpse of the former Secretary of State. After all, the Clintons have not made themselves scarce in the hamlet. They are often spotted walking their dogs, getting Starbucks and buying groceries at the Village Market. They also reliably march in every Memorial Day parade.
But in this heavily Democratic town, opinions on the Clintons' testimony, were plentiful.
'Secretary Clinton is used as a pawn'
New Castle Town Councilwoman Jennifer Naparstek Klein said she was happy to have the town make accommodations for "this forced process as convenient for Secretary Clinton" to allow the deposition to occur close to home and in a familiar venue to the couple.
"But I am frustrated by how Congress behaves in this deliberately dissembling way. It is an insult and assault on the integrity of women in our nation," said Klein, an ardent supporter of Hillary Clinton.
She said it was "absurd" that the attorney general has not gone after President Donald Trump. "And instead, yet again, Secretary Clinton is used as a pawn to pull focus away from the misdeeds of Donald Trump," she said.
Trump and Epstein were friends in the 1990sand early 2000s before a falling out, but Trump has denied any involvement. The president also has repeatedly denied all allegations against him and has said he has been "exonerated."
Rep. James Comer, R-Kentucky, who is leading the inquiry, said lawmakers wanted to learn more about how Epstein raised his money and how he accumulated a social network of rich and powerful men. He said lawmakers would ask why Epstein raised money for the Clinton family foundation and why his associate,Ghislaine Maxwell, attended the Clintons' daughter's wedding.
'I think you want every bit of truth to come out'
Bill Clinton, who served as president from 1993 to 2001, has said he was unaware of Epstein's alleged criminal activities while socializing with him. But Comer has said Epstein visited the White House 16 times while Bill Clinton was president.
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During her testimony, Hillary Clinton accused House lawmakers who subpoenaed her of going on a "fishing expedition" for information rather than questioning Justice Department officials who failed to prosecute the late financier.
Steven Sabbagh, who stopped by at the Starbucks, said he was glad that Hillary Clinton was being forced to testify.
"I think you want every bit of truth to come out. I feel so sorry for the victims," he said. "I am so proud and so happy that they pursued and they're persistent and they're getting somewhere because I really do believe there's so many powerful individuals that are trying to squash this."
Sabbagh, who lives in nearby South Salem, New York, said he hopes "everything comes out and people get punished for what they did."
"We are tired of people manipulating justice," he added.
'Everyone should be held accountable'
The congressional inquiry following Justice Department's release of3 million pages of documentsfrom Epstein's criminal investigation. Millions more pages remain sealed.
Heather Smith, a recent graduate from Cornell University who is applying to veterinary school, said as a woman who has been sexually assaulted, she didn't think it should be a politically polarizing topic.
"I think the biggest thing that will build back trust from the government, especially after COVID and everything that happened in miscommunication will be transparency," she said. "And the only way that will happen is by Congress and other parts of the government holding people accountable. Whether that be Bill Clinton, whether that be Donald Trump, anyone who's involved or named in the Epstein files, I think personally, should really be held asked tough questions and held accountable."
Tim Gomes, an IT professional, said he believes Hillary Clinton when she says she doesn't know much about it. But when it comes to Bill Clinton, who is slated to testify Feb. 27, he said he'll be paying attention.
"So tomorrow's going to be the day," said the Mount Kisco resident, who described himself as an independent. "I think we've got to get to the bottom of it. Everyone should be held accountable for that."
Betty Cotton, who has known Hillary Clinton for decades, and who has been involved in fundraising effort from the time the former first lady ran for a Senate seat from New York, called Clinton a "trooper."
"I think it's a farce if you really want to know. I just think it's ridiculous," she said. "She's just an unbelievable trooper to agree to do it. Will Trump do it?"
Contributing: Bart Jansen
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is a White House correspondent for USA TODAY.You can follow her on X @SwapnaVenugopal
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Hillary Clinton neighbors sound off on her Epstein testimony
CHAPPAQUA, New York - It's been more than 26 years since Bill and Hillary Clinton made their home in this wooded, aff...
