Democratic lawmakers involved in deposing Hillary Clinton as part of a House investigation into Jeffrey Epstein want the Republican majority to release a full, unedited transcript of the interview within 24 hours, citing the limited transparency of the closed-door proceeding.
Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the top Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, made the demand during a news conference Thursday afternoon outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, where the former secretary of State has been testifying for hours. Former President Bill Clinton will testify Friday.
He was joined at the microphones by Democratic Rep. Yassamin Ansari of Arizona, Rep. Wesley Bell of Missouri and Reps. Suhas Subramanyam and James Walkinshaw, both of Virginia.
The likelihood of the committee being able to publish the transcript that quickly is highly unlikely. The court reporter needs to send the transcript back to the panel after a few days, and Clinton’s legal team must then review it before it can be published, said an Oversight aide who requested anonymity to describe private committee operations.
But the committee Democrats said the transcript’s immediate release was warranted because Hillary Clinton’s request to testify publicly — instead of behind closed doors — was denied. Oversight Republicans told reporters earlier Thursday they plan to release a video of the proceedings as soon as it is approved.
Garcia also said that Hillary Clinton has so far answered all questions and has not pleaded the Fifth Amendment — and offered no information that’s been helpful to the committee investigation.
Hillary Clinton has repeatedly denied any knowledge of the criminal activities of Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, his convicted co-conspirator, and said she did not recall ever meeting Epstein.
“We are sitting through an incredibly unserious clown show of a deposition where members of Congress and the Republican Party are more concerned about getting their photo opp of Secretary Clinton than actually getting to the truth and holding anyone accountable,” Ansari told reporters.
“We have not learned one new thing,” Bell added.
Hailey Fuchs contributed to this report.
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