Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted associate of Jeffrey Epstein, chose not to answer questions during a closed congressional deposition held by the US House Oversight Committee. She invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self- incrimination multiple times throughout the session.
Participating virtually from a federal prison in Texas, where she is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking offenses linked to Epstein, Maxwell's refusal to address any substantive inquiries disappointed Republican Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, who noted that the committee had anticipated her cooperation.
"This is obviously very disappointing," Comer lamented after the hearing concluded. He expressed the committee's intent to question Maxwell about the crimes she and Epstein committed, along with the identities of any potential co-conspirators. "We sincerely want to get to the truth for the American people, and justice for the survivors," he stated.
The Fifth Amendment of the US Constitution grants individuals the right to decline to answer questions that might lead to self-incrimination. Democratic Representative Melanie Stansbury criticized Maxwell for using the deposition as an opportunity to “campaign for clemency” rather than to engage constructively with the lawmakers.
Maxwell's attorney, David Oscar Markus, declared on social media that she would be willing to testify comprehensively if President Donald Trump granted her clemency. "Only she can provide the complete account," Markus asserted, indicating that the truth may be uncomfortable but necessary.
Survivors of Epstein's abuses urged the committee to handle Maxwell's testimony with care. They sent a letter to the Oversight Committee before the deposition, chastising her for her past reluctance to name the "powerful men" involved in Epstein's trafficking operation. They cautioned that treating her as credible could have severe repercussions for survivors.
The White House has previously stated that discussions about clemency for Maxwell are not in progress. Epstein, awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges, died by suicide in a New York jail in 2019.
Democratic Representative Ro Khanna planned to question Maxwell about a court filing that identified four co-conspirators and revealed at least 25 other unindicted individuals linked to Epstein. He also aimed to inquire about the social connections between Epstein, Maxwell, and Donald Trump, including whether discussions regarding a potential pardon had taken place.
Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing associated with Epstein, claiming he severed ties with the financier years ago. A transcript from a Justice Department meeting indicated that Maxwell had previously informed Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche that she had not observed any inappropriate conduct by Trump or former President Bill Clinton, and that a rumored "client list" from Epstein did not exist.
The deposition was initially scheduled for August of the previous year but was postponed at Maxwell’s lawyers' request due to a pending Supreme Court ruling related to her case.
This hearing coincided with the Justice Department's release of millions of pages pertaining to its ongoing investigation of Epstein, following a law passed by Congress last year that allowed lawmakers access to nearly three million unredacted documents starting Monday.
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