Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s closed-door deposition before the House Oversight Committee was briefly suspended Thursday after a photograph taken during her testimony was leaked to a conservative media figure, triggering a dispute between lawmakers over committee procedure.
The image, captured while Clinton was seated mid-testimony in the committee’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, was provided to podcast host Benny Johnson by Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.). After the photo circulated publicly, Clinton’s attorneys halted the proceedings and she exited the room.
According to MSNOW, Clinton later returned and engaged in a tense exchange with House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) before questioning resumed. The deposition continued behind closed doors.
Clinton addressed reporters during an impromptu press conference, issuing a categorical denial of any association with Epstein.
“I did not know Jeffrey Epstein! I never went to his island. I never went to his home. I never went to his offices,” she said.
Her legal team accused Boebert of violating House rules by taking and releasing the photograph during a closed-door session. Clinton also asserted that committee guidelines had been breached.
Democrats on the committee echoed those concerns during a break in the deposition.
“What is not acceptable is Oversight Republicans breaking their own committee rules that they established with the Secretary and her team,” Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) said at a press conference.
