Refusal to Testify Tied to Epstein Probe
Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime associate of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, refused to answer questions from the US House Oversight Committee during a deposition on Monday, invoking her Fifth Amendment rights. Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking at a federal prison camp in Texas, appeared via video call and declined to cooperate with lawmakers investigating who may have helped facilitate Epstein’s abuse network.
Clemency Offer Raises Political Firestorm
Maxwell’s attorney, David Oscar Markus, told lawmakers that his client would be willing to testify fully if granted clemency by President Donald Trump. According to Markus, Maxwell would say that neither Trump nor former President Bill Clinton committed any wrongdoing in their associations with Epstein. Both men spent time with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s, and Trump is mentioned extensively in recently released case documents. Markus argued that “the public is entitled” to Maxwell’s explanation, claiming only she can provide it.
Bipartisan Backlash and Ongoing Legal Fights
Lawmakers from both parties quickly rejected the idea of clemency. Democratic Representative Melanie Stansbury said Maxwell appeared to be openly campaigning for a pardon, while Republican Representative Anna Paulina Luna issued blunt warnings on social media, writing, “NO CLEMENCY. You comply or face punishment.” The White House pointed to earlier comments suggesting a pardon was unlikely. Meanwhile, Maxwell continues to challenge her conviction, despite the Supreme Court rejecting her appeal last year. She has since asked a New York federal judge to review what her lawyers describe as new evidence of constitutional violations, as renewed scrutiny follows the release of millions of Epstein-related documents detailing abuse of girls as young as 11.
