'Clown show': Dem appalled by GOP lawmakers at Clinton-Epstein deposition

Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ) had a scathing message for her Republican colleagues in the House Oversight Committee following a closed-door deposition for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Chappaqua, New York on Friday.

Ansari told reporters she was appalled by Republicans and their behavior during the hearing, calling it "a clown show of a deposition." She claimed that Republican lawmakers in the room were not taking the investigation into the Epstein files seriously.

She cited the incident in which Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) had taken two photos, which were sent and posted by right-wing podcaster Benny Johnson. The move paused the hearing and derailed the proceedings because it violated the rules of the testimony, a Clinton spokesperson said.

"We now know that the DOJ, in their ongoing cover-up, intentionally seem to have redacted or withheld more than 50 pages of allegations from a minor against President Trump," Ansari said. "Do not forget that Kash Patel went in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee and said, under oath that the FBI had no credible allegations of any other people being involved."

"These documents that the DOJ intentionally has withheld from the American public in regard to the allegations against President Trump, came from the FBI," Ansari said. "The FBI had interviewed this witness many times. You do not do that if it is not serious. So Kash Patel needs to be immediately brought back before the Oversight Committee. He needs to answer these questions again, and we need answers immediately."

Clinton responded to questions from lawmakers for several hours and urged leaders to talk with President Donald Trump, whose name appeared in the Epstein files more than 38,000 times. Democrats demanded that the full video transcript of Clinton's responses be released without any edits.

Clinton delivered her opening statement before the committee investigating ties between the Clintons and late financier and convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Her husband, former President Bill Clinton, was slated to testify Friday before the committee.

"I had no idea about their criminal activities. I do not recall ever encountering Mr. Epstein. I never flew on his plane or visited his island home or offices," Clinton said, which she also posted on X.

Neither of the Clintons has been accused of any wrongdoing.