Hillary Clinton accuses Trump administration of cover-up in Epstein case

(Patria) - Hillary Clinton has accused President Donald Trump's administration of a "cover-up" regarding the handling of files related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

"Release the documents. They are slow-walking this," the former US Secretary of State told the BBC in Berlin, where she attended the annual World Forum.

The White House has insisted that by releasing the documents, they have "done more for the victims than Democrats ever have."

Millions of new documents relating to Epstein were released by the US Department of Justice earlier this month after Congress passed a law requiring the agency to release material related to Epstein investigations.

The Department of Justice (DoJ) has now stated that it has released all documents required by the Epstein Records Transparency Act, but lawmakers claim the release is insufficient. Republican Representative for Kentucky, Thomas Massie, who co-authored the law, has called on the Department of Justice to also release internal memos detailing previous decisions on whether to indict Epstein and his associates.

Epstein died in a New York jail cell on August 10, 2019, while awaiting trial without bail for sex trafficking. This occurred more than a decade after he was convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor, for which he is registered as a sex offender.

The Clintons are expected to appear before the committee. Bill Clinton will appear on February 27, and Hillary Clinton the day before.

A planned vote on contempt of Congress charges against the Clintons was postponed after the couple agreed to testify. This will be the first time a former US president testifies before a congressional panel since Gerald Ford did so in 1983.

Bill Clinton, who is mentioned multiple times in Epstein's files, knew Epstein, who died in prison in 2019, but says he cut off contact two decades ago.
Neither of the Clintons has been accused of wrongdoing by survivors of Epstein's abuse, and both have denied knowledge of his sexual offenses at the time.

The Clintons have called for the hearing to be public, not behind closed doors.

"We will appear, but we think it would be better if it were public," Hillary Clinton told the BBC.

Republican committee chairman James Comer accused the Clintons of "delaying," saying the couple had "caved" to a vote on contempt of court.

"I just want it to be fair," Hillary Clinton said.

"I want everyone to be treated the same way. We have nothing to hide. We have repeatedly called for the full release of these documents. We think sunlight is the best disinfectant."

Hillary Clinton claims that she and her husband are being used to divert attention from Trump.

"Look at this great item. We're going to have the Clintons, even Hillary Clinton, who never met the man."

Hillary Clinton said she met Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's convicted associate, "on several occasions."

President Trump, who is mentioned hundreds of times in Epstein's files, has consistently denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein, with whom he says he cut off contact decades ago, and that Epstein's victims have not accused him of any crimes.

Regarding the allegations against Trump, the Department of Justice previously stated: "Some documents contain false and sensational claims against Trump that were submitted to the FBI shortly before the 2020 election. To be clear, the claims are unfounded and false, and if they had any credibility, they would certainly have already been weaponized against Trump."

The White House stated: "By releasing thousands of pages of documents, cooperating with the House Oversight Committee's subpoena request, and President Trump's recent call for further investigations into Epstein's Democratic friends, the Trump administration has done more for the victims than Democrats ever have."