Hillary Clinton has accused the Trump administration of deliberately slowing the release of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, alleging a “cover-up” intended to shield prominent individuals. Speaking to the BBC in Berlin while attending the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting, the former U.S. Secretary of State called for the full and rapid disclosure of the files.
“Get the files out. They are making it very slow,” Clinton said, according to the BBC report. The White House responded by asserting that it has been more proactive in releasing the Epstein files and assisting victims than previous Democratic administrations.
The Justice Department released millions of pages of previously unredacted documents related to Epstein in late January, following the passage of legislation mandating the release of material connected to the investigations. However, some lawmakers argue the release remains incomplete. Republican Representative Thomas Massie, a co-author of the transparency law, has urged the Justice Department to also publish internal memos detailing past decisions regarding the prosecution of Epstein and his associates.
Epstein died by suicide in a New York City jail cell on August 10, 2019, while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. He had previously served time for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
Clinton’s accusations reach as she and former President Bill Clinton are scheduled to testify before a House committee regarding their connections to Epstein. Bill Clinton is slated to appear on February 27th, with Hillary Clinton testifying the day prior. A planned vote to hold the Clintons in contempt of Congress was withdrawn after they agreed to cooperate with the committee.
This will mark the first time a former U.S. President has testified before a congressional panel since Gerald Ford appeared before a committee in 1983. Bill Clinton has acknowledged knowing Epstein but states he severed ties with the financier two decades ago. Neither Bill nor Hillary Clinton have been accused of wrongdoing by Epstein’s survivors and both have denied knowledge of his sexual crimes at the time.
The Clintons have requested that their testimony be given in a public forum, stating, “We have nothing to hide.” Hillary Clinton, in her BBC interview, echoed this sentiment, stating, “I seek everyone to be treated the same. I want it to be fair. We have repeatedly asked for the full release of these files. We believe sunlight is the best disinfectant.”
Clinton also suggested that the focus on her and her husband is a deliberate distraction tactic. “Look at the shiny object. We’re going to have the Clintons, even Hillary Clinton, who never met the guy,” she said.
Clinton revealed she had encountered Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s associate convicted of sex trafficking, “on a few occasions.”
Former President Donald Trump, who appears frequently in the Epstein files, dismissed Clinton’s accusations as he departed Air Force One, telling the BBC he has “nothing to hide.” “I’ve been exonerated. I had nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein. They came in hoping to discover something, and they found just the opposite,” Trump stated. He characterized the scrutiny as a politically motivated attack, claiming, “Clinton and a lot of other Democrats have been caught.”
The Justice Department previously stated that some documents contained “false and sensationalistic claims” against Trump that were presented to the FBI before the 2020 election, characterizing them as unfounded and false. The White House emphasized that the Trump administration’s actions, including the release of documents, cooperation with the House committee, and calls for further investigation into Epstein’s Democratic associates, demonstrate a greater commitment to victims than previous administrations.
