During a deposition on Thursday concerning Jeffrey Epstein, Hillary Clinton accused Republicans of shielding Donald Trump, also drawing Elon Musk into the controversy. The session took place behind closed doors at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, close to the Clintons’ residence in Westchester County, New York. Clinton, the former Secretary of State, focused on a 2012 email in which Musk, a prominent Trump supporter, inquired about the “wildest party” on Epstein’s notorious private island, Little St. James. In her statement to the Oversight Committee, Clinton emphasized the need for transparency, stating, “A committee led by elected officials committed to transparency would ensure the full release of all files. It would subpoena anyone inquiring about the ‘wildest party’ on Epstein’s island.” In November 2012, Epstein had emailed Musk asking, “How many people will you be for the heli to island?”

Musk responded, “Probably just Talulah and me. What day/night will be the wildest party on your island?” referencing his then-wife, English actress Talulah Riley. On December 25, 2012, at 6 a.m., Musk emailed Epstein expressing his desire to unwind after a hectic year, saying, “I’ve been working to the edge of sanity this year and once my kids head home after Christmas, I really want to hit the party scene in St Barts or elsewhere and let loose.” Epstein’s reply hinted at the guest list, noting, “The ratio on my island might make Talulah uncomfortable.” Musk replied, “Ratio is not a problem for Talulah.” In a 2019 Vanity Fair interview, Musk labeled Epstein as “obviously a creep” who persistently invited him to the island, which Musk declined. However, the Justice Department’s release of three million Epstein files in January uncovered amiable exchanges between Musk and Epstein, including a planned SpaceX tour in 2013.

By this time, Epstein had already fallen from grace, having been convicted in 2008 for soliciting a minor for prostitution in Florida. Clinton’s sharp remarks targeting Trump and Musk were still resonating when the session faced unexpected disruption. Republican Representative Lauren Boebert snapped a photo of Clinton during the private meeting, and its circulation on social media prompted legal demands to pause the proceedings. Although the session is recorded, any footage will undergo review by Clinton’s legal team before being made public. The deposition resumed within an hour. Before the interruption, Clinton criticized Republicans for focusing on her while neglecting to investigate Trump. In her intense opening statement, she did not defend her husband but insisted, “I have no information on Epstein’s criminal activities and do not recall any meetings.” She accused lawmakers of concealing Trump’s ties with Epstein, where Trump faces “heinous” allegations from survivors. “You have compelled me to testify, fully aware that I have no knowledge that would assist your investigation, in order to distract from President Trump’s actions and to cover them up despite legitimate calls for answers,” Clinton asserted.

‘If this committee is serious about learning the truth about Epstein’s trafficking crimes, it would not rely on press gaggles to get answers from our current president on his involvement; it would ask him directly under oath about the tens of thousands of times he shows up in the Epstein files,’ she added today. Trump’s name appears more than 38,000 times in the millions of Epstein documents released by the Department of Justice in January. ‘If the majority were serious, it would not waste time on fishing expeditions. There is too much that needs to be done. What is being held back? Who is being protected? And why the cover-up?’ Despite her denials of any Epstein relationship, Clinton received a $20,000 donation from the disgraced financier in 1999 when she was fundraising for the DNC. Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s infamous madam, attended Chelsea Clinton’s wedding in 2010, years after Epstein had been convicted of sexual abuse. Hillary previously admitted to meeting Maxwell on several occasions.

Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for trafficking – the only Epstein co-conspirator who has been jailed. Bill Clinton is expected to face a grilling on Friday as the first former president compelled to testify in a congressional investigation. His relationship with Epstein was extensive following the end of his presidency. Flight logs for Epstein’s private jet indicate that the former president traveled on it for trips to the Virgin Islands, Portugal, Siberia, Japan, and China. The ex-president claims these trips were only ever related to his charitable work. Photographs have also emerged from the Epstein files showing Clinton in a hot tub with a woman whose face was redacted . Another photo shows him swimming with Maxwell and an unidentified woman. Epstein famously kept an oil painting of Clinton in a blue dress and red heels at his Manhattan mansion.

The Clintons initially resisted House Republicans’ subpoena to testify about Epstein but agreed to the deposition after being threatened with contempt charges. The committee said it will release the deposition videos and transcripts after the lawyers for the Clintons have reviewed the content. Lawmakers speaking ahead of the hearing were asked whether they planned to ask Hillary about an email in the Epstein files, which shows Trump’s Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick emailed the financier about Hillary’s 2016 presidential campaign. ‘It will be on my list,’ Republican Representative Nancy Mace told reporters. In November 2015, Epstein’s assistant forwarded him an invitation from Lutnick to a ‘very intimate fundraising event’ at his financial firm for then-presidential candidate Hillary. It is unclear whether Epstein attended the event. He made no donations to her campaign, according to filings from the Federal Elections Commission. Lutnick donated $2,700 to her campaign, the maximum allowed by law at that time.

Republicans, who hold the majority on the House Oversight Committee, drove the effort to bring the Clintons to testify as Donald Trump faced pressure to release the Epstein files. Democrat lawmakers are also attending the deposition which forms part of a broader congressional effort to investigate the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein case. Epstein and Maxwell also appear to have played a key role in setting up the Clinton Foundation and Clinton Global Initiative, according to the Epstein files. Maxwell herself was deposed as part of the bipartisan congressional investigation into the Justice Department’s prosecution and handling of the Epstein case, during which she pleaded the Fifth Amendment to prevent self-incrimination.

Hillary said in a BBC interview last week that she and Clinton are ‘more than happy to say what we know, which is very limited and totally unrelated to their behavior or their crimes.’ House Oversight Chairman James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, noted earlier this week that ‘the Clintons’ testimony is critical to understanding Epstein and Maxwell’s trafficking network and the ways they sought to curry favor and influence to shield themselves from scrutiny.’ ‘Their testimony may also inform how Congress can strengthen laws to better combat human trafficking. Our goal for this investigation is straightforward: we seek to deliver transparency and accountability for the American people and for survivors,’ Comer added. The Daily Mail has contacted the Clintons for comment.