WASHINGTON: Former US president Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary are calling for their congressional testimony on ties to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein to be held publicly, to prevent Republicans from politicizing the issue.
Both Clintons had been ordered to give closed-door depositions before the House Oversight Committee, which is probing the deceased financier’s connections to powerful figures and how information about his crimes was handled.
Democrats say the probe is being weaponized to attack political opponents of President Donald Trump — himself a longtime Epstein associate who has not been called to testify — rather than to conduct legitimate oversight.
House Republicans had previously threatened a contempt vote if the Democratic power couple did not show up to testify, which they have since agreed to do.
But holding the deposition behind closed doors, Bill Clinton said Friday, would be akin to being tried at a “kangaroo court.”
