Lawmakers tried Monday to interview Ghislaine Maxwell, but the former girlfriend and confidante of Jeffrey Epstein invoked her 5th Amendment rights to avoid answering questions that would be incriminating.
She was questioned during a video call to the federal prison camp in Texas where she’s serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking.
She’s come under new scrutiny as lawmakers try to investigate how Epstein, a well-connected financier, was able to sexually abuse underage girls for years. The deposition comes on the same day that the Department of Justice began allowing members of Congress to review unredacted files related to Epstein files, according to a letter that was sent to lawmakers.
President Donald Trump has lashed out at reporters raising questions about the Epstein files, demanding that the country “get onto something else,” but that’s highly unlikely. Many of the documents haven’t been released, and many of those now public were heavily redacted.
Republican Rep. James Comey, who chairs the House Oversight Committee, came under pressure to hold the Maxwell deposition as he pressed to enforce subpoenas on former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
After Comer threatened them with contempt of Congress charges, they both agreed to sit for depositions later this month.
Maxwell's attorney said in closed door deposition with the committee that Maxwell would not answer questions unless she was granted clemency by President Donald Trump, according to media reports.
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