The Clintons are again suggesting that they might not agree to a deposition after previously yielding to the threat of a contempt vote. Hillary Clinton taunted House Oversight Chair James Comer “if you want this fight…let’s have it—in public.” For his part, Bill Clinton seemed more conclusive on X in opposing a deposition: “I will not sit idly as they use me as a prop in a closed-door kangaroo court.” The question is whether the Clintons are again gaming the system after avoiding a bipartisan vote to hold them in contempt.
As with the Hunter Biden deposition (which was also delayed by such tactics), there are various reasons for holding a closed deposition before public hearings.
First, these depositions allow professional staff to conduct questioning in a methodical and professional manner. In a public hearing, questioning is conducted by members who are often ill-equipped for substantive inquiries.
Second, the Clintons must be asked about a range of documents and communications that contain names and privacy-protected information. At a public hearing, the use of such documents would trigger redactions and interruptions.
Third, these depositions allow for in-depth questioning on transactions and communications. In a public hearing, members are confined to a five-minute rule that guarantees questioning cannot achieve much, if any, depth.
Those are all reasons the Clintons want a public hearing in which members, not staff, ask questions under tight time limits. It produces superficial examinations with little ability to pursue substantive conflicts or issues.
None of this really matters legally. All citizens are compelled to appear at such hearings. They may invoke the Fifth Amendment, but they must appear. Even the Clintons.
However, the Clintons have spent a lifetime gaming the system, avoiding accountability for alleged crimes, including (in the case of Bill Clinton) federal perjury.
This is vintage Clinton. After a bipartisan vote in committee to hold them in contempt, they took a 180-degree turn and agreed to the depositions. The final vote was then cancelled.
Once cancelled, Bill Clinton is again suggesting that he will “not sit idly by” for such a deposition. It is not clear what that means. He will sit for this deposition or be held in contempt like any other citizen.
The declaration could mean anything from laying the groundwork for invoking the Fifth Amendment to another act of defiance of the subpoena. He could be planning to refuse to answer certain questions in a combative approach to the deposition. However, that could still result in a contempt sanction.
Notably, the Clintons have long been able to control the conditions of their questioning. Even with the Independent Counsel, Clinton was able to secure concessions on time and questions. He still tripped the wire and committed perjury, according to a federal court.
This is a rare occasion where they will not dictate such conditions. That raises the intriguing possibility that Bill Clinton could set a precedent by invoking the Fifth Amendment. Otherwise, he may not be idle, but he will be present.
OT
The teachers union head in Minneapolis says in a video that members and associates are “running plates” and perpetrating other illegal activities that constitute obstructing, interfering with, stalking and doxing ICE officers.
OT
What citizens have is not America; it is the “dictatorship of the proletariat (i.e., hired help),” the leeches and parasites of Karl Marx.
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“Depend upon it, sir, it is dangerous to open So fruitfull a Source of Controversy and Altercation, as would be opened by attempting to alter the Qualifications of Voters. There will be no End of it. New Claims will arise. Women will demand a Vote. Lads from 12 to 21 will think their Rights not enough attended to, and every Man, who has not a Farthing, will demand an equal Voice with any other in all Acts of State. It tends to confound and destroy all Distinctions, and prostrate all Ranks, to one common Levell. I am &c.”
John Adams to James Sullivan, 26 May 1776
Don’t you know: the rules never apply to the Clintons.
You have that exactly backwards–MAGAverse tries to set off Trump’s illegality, grifting, using the office of President for personal gain, association with a notorious pedophile, hiding proof of children who were sexually assaulted and trafficked, ignoring of Court orders and norms by spinning the tale that the Clintons are really the bad actors. If they really did all of the crimes MAGA media accused them of, why isn’t there any proof, why haven’t they been arrested, charged and convicted? Little details like that don’t matter in MAGAverse.
Aside from the urge to gleefully reveal the unseemly behavior of some of Epstein’s socially & politically well connected elite friends, it is not at all clear what Federal issue or potential need for new legislation these hearing could possibly uncover. Are there no more pressing issues that Congress should consider? In my opinion, it is time to turn off the Congressional spotlight on the Epstein matter. Any remaining unresolved legal matters should be left as the purview of prosecutors.
Agree 100%! I am sick of seeing Epstein’s face on tv every night!!
And don’t the news people have anything better to report??
No, they don’t–this is the biggest child sex trafficking ring in US history, and it involves the President, his cronies, members of his cabinet and his wealthy and powerful donors–versus women who were abused and raped as children, and a DOJ under the control of an unscrupulous POTUS who is controlling release of information and protecting pedphiles. The story isn’t going to go away, but Donald Trump will be–sooner or later–and the truth will all come out and the victims will eventually get justice. Until then, legacy media are not, and should not, shut up because Trump and MAGA want them to. Trump has the authority to release the Epstein files in their entirety, but never will as long as he has the power to do so, because, as he told Marjorie Taylor Greene, people he likes better than the victims would get hurt.
The president have never been accused by any of the victims of any wrongdoing. Maxwell has never implicated Trump in any criminal acts. None. Biden’s DOJ had four years to find something and couldn’t. What victims are claiming that Trump assaulted them? That’s right, none.
To remove electioneering and partisan politics, should Donald and Melania Trump testify first? Since Trump’s name appears more than other person (over 1000 times) in the Epstein Files.
To the average person it appears Trump is just trying to help Republicans in the November elections. If this were legitimate by Congress, Donald and Melania should go first.
Communist move. denounce and destroy the ‘old guard’ and usher in the new ultra-socialist democrat party.
It’s in the little red book. There must always be an enemy to point at, “and you’re with US, right?” kind of coercion.
The desire for social acceptance is the biggest generator of teen rebellion, vandalism and trouble-making, and of course, communism.
People who don’t like themselves would rather get their worth from ‘belonging’ and ‘going along’. It’s shame driven behavior.
Today’s Turley MAGA assignment: 1. Ignore Trump losing another court case in which he tried to withhold federal funds appropriated by Congress years ago for construction of a tunnel between NJ and NY unless they would agree to re-name Penn Station and Dulles International Airport after him. Trump is, of course, appealing. It seems that the majority of jobs Trump is creating are in the legal sector. 2. Ignore the fact that the Minnesota US Attorney’s Office is down from 70 attorneys to 17, and that they are dragging in lawyers from the JAG Corps and military attorneys to try to cover the work generated by ICE abuses while they beg for applicants on X without much luck; 3. Ignore the fact that Howard Lutnick LIED when he claimed that he severed all ties to Epstein after he and his wife walked into Epstein’s mansion in Manhattan in 2005 and saw the massage tables. Lutnick claimed he realized Epstein was a “creep”, but the disclosures prove he was in business with Epstein for at least a decade after that, and his family and he were Epstein’s guests on Lolita Island; AND that he kept doing business with Epstein even after his first conviction for child prostitution. In better times, this would be more than enough for Lutnick to hit the road and even be prosecuted. Not any more, not since MAGA took over our government, and that, of itself, is a story; 4. Ignore the fact that JD Vance was roundly booed at the Winter Olympics, even though US athletes were cheered; 5. Keep ignoring the fact that the Epstein file release concealed the names of wealthy and powerful men who raped little girls, but outed numerous victims and survivors, included nude photos of some of them, including the driver’s license of one of them; these victims are afraid to name the wealthy and powerful men who abused them without backup with the documents in the Epstein files. Trump knows that, which is why he commanded Pammie Jo to withhold most of the files, redact the names of his powerful and wealthy friends, and why she has outed some of the victims as an intimidation tactic; 6. Ignore this query, reported by one social media user who tweeted on Wednesday, February 4: “Will Kid Rock be singing his song ‘Cool, Daddy Cool’ that contains these lyrics: ‘Young ladies, young ladies, I like ‘em underage,’ ‘See some say that’s statutory.’ ‘But I say it’s mandatory.'” Yeah, that actually DOES fit right in with Trump and his ilk–AND the White Christian Nationalists have no problem with this, either, which, itself, is a story. What version of Christianity consciences rape of children without accountability? What version of American jurisprudence consciences the Department of “Justice” protecting child predators and intimidating victims of the biggest child sex ring scandal in our history–one in which the POTUS is directly involved and is controlling the release of information? 7. Ignore the fact that Trump has demanded that Republicans take over the midterm elections, admitting that he KNOWS he will be impeached. This included seizing ballots from the 2020 election. Bannon declared that ICE will be surrounding polling places. ICE has no jurisdiction in state election matters, so it’s abundantly clear that Trump is using ICE as his personal army to try to intimidate people from voting and otherwise as a show of force–he sent ICE to Milan, which has upset the Italians to no end. What are they doing there? There has never been anything resembling proof that non-citizens vote in substantial numbers–but that’s not the point–it’s intimidation in blue cities in swing states, like Detroit, Philadelphia and Atlanta. This is the biggest existential threat to democracy ever.
But, hey–Bill Clinton is the big political story here–right? Only in MAGAverse. The disciples need diversion and affirmation.
We all need to pray for this individual, clearly the strain of their (he or she, no indication) obsession with Trump and loose association with facts and information around such facts, they is really cracking.
What you’ve just described, and so perfectly, is the CLINTONverse. Clinton disciples have blazed the trial, set the bar, for the blind-following of criminals.
Clinton-sycophants have affirmed a Clinton history rife with the strange trail of deaths, connections to cocaine, impeachment, abuse and defamation of women, theft of disaster relief funds, initiated and snubbed the Benghazi murders, the horrors of the Weiner Laptop, HRC’s-emails (Seth rich), and the Steele Dossier….
And who needs diversion???
Deaf ears. The MAGA crowd can ignore their nose in front of their face if the talking points come from Fox and Trump
WHAT AM I, A TABLE LAMP? Atty for O. North.
It was a “potted plant”. (Close enough)
The Clintons do not need to sit for Anybody or Anything[.]
You know Why Jonathan,
Because this is not a CONSTITUTIONAL Democracy
Having lived through what the “meaning of ‘is’ is”, and the blue dress that both humiliated and made blatant liars out of both Bill and Hillary, the fact that we can keep torturing them and making them spend their ill-gotten criminal profits on this high-profile defense attorney is the best part of this whole thing.
It’s so very entertaining, but the icing on the cake is that Democrats did it all themselves by demanding the release of the Epstein files, thinking they would take down Trump.
Oopsies, y’all! 😉
What struck me as curious is that the Clintons had quite unequivocally defied closed-door appearances pursuant to the subpoenas for a very. long. time. They’ve taken various alternative positions/stances but still refused Comer’s demand. Notwithstanding the pending House vote on contempt charges, they were still holding out.
Then suddenly:
(1) On Friday, January 30th, we have the largest release yet of cache/trove Epstein files/records/docs/tapes/videos, etc. (some three+million?). Importantly, but nothing new involving the Clintons made any headlines.
(2) After the weekend (Jan. 31-Feb 1st Clinton team review of the new releases?), on Monday morning (Feb 2), the Clintons agree to Comer’s depositions.
Equally important as the pending House vote on Feb. 4, were they waiting as long as they could for the release of the mess of forthcoming files before they agreed?
So, Jonathan and anyone else enjoying pouncing on the Clintons, whom the current occupant of the White House makes look like Teresa of Avila and Francis of Assisi, what legislative purpose underlies these subpoenas? You were once pretty fair on constitutional law before you sold your soul to FoxNews, tell me why these hearings have any relevance to what Congress is assigned under the constitution.
Whoa there, Nellly! Teresa of Avila and Francis of Assisi???
Neither Trump, nor any other “saint” on earth has a trail of 50+ dead bodies, all of them personal friends, colleagues, and close-acquaintances, all conveniently dead on timely coincidences with Clinton misdeeds, and the most bizarre record of unbelievable “suicides” ever recorded.
Legislative purpose? Sunlight on the most corrupt couple in American political history. Bringing these political monarchs to justice. Finally.
Why never a column of analysis on the Democratic Party itself, rather than just those in it? Whether it’s Clinton, Nadler, or some university professor rage queen, his Democrat party provides Professor Turley with an endless and bountiful supply of grist to feed into his financial mill, as he grinds out one column after another. A normal person, like Alan Dershowitz, by now would have announced “I’m done with you”.
“Why never a column of analysis on the Democratic Party itself, rather than just those in it?”
Because Prof. Turley, as a consummate victim of his past and his upbringing, cannot envision himself as anything other than a loyal Democrat. Speculation on my part, but it fits all of the available evidence of which I am aware.
Clearly, opprobrium hounds the Clintons. Except for leaks, I’m not optimistic that we will be privy to the actual process, as Johnathan has described. Maybe news if the Fifth Amendment is taken. Our system is built to handle freeplay in the joints. The rub is time against the 24/7 news cycle. We’re not always as patient as quality governance needs.
Really. The modern left is no longer a political party, and these two and their associates were some of its biggest architects. Consequences, no consequences – there is nothing to redeem there. Vote your little behind off in opposition in November.
Vote Democrat!
@’Anonymous’
That you, Bill?
Of course you do. You want free stuff, don’t see the ultimate disastrous consequences of the Dem policy of stealing from the productive normal citizens and using the proceeds to buy votes from the illiterate, uneducated and privileged.
Oh, and, like all Dems, you are a coward, hiding behind an anonymous screen name.
Always the answer no matter the question, eh Hillary?
Why? What do you like about Democrats?
They owned slaves
They denied rights to blacks
They have black political plantations
They cheat and steal
They have bad foreign policy and bad economic programs.
What do you like about Democrats?
Perhaps he wants to avoid answering questions related to this, Flight logs show Bill Clinton flew on sex offender’s jet much more than previously known
“Former President Bill Clinton was a much more frequent flyer on a registered sex offender’s infamous jet than previously reported, with flight logs showing the former president taking at least 26 trips aboard the “Lolita Express” — even apparently ditching his Secret Service detail for at least five of the flights, according to records obtained by FoxNews.com.”
https://www.foxnews.com/us/flight-logs-show-bill-clinton-flew-on-sex-offenders-jet-much-more-than-previously-known
Avoid? And maybe not. So what he flew on a jet. More than known? Are you really that f-ing stupid to postulate facts that don’t exist and then source fox?
Are you really that f-ing stupid to postulate facts that don’t exist
Are you really that f-ing stupid that you believe everybody wants to see the same Democrat childrens’ matinee showing of the Democrat Commie Clown Show? Mirrors are your kyrptonite.
Projection:
Channeling one’s actions onto others typically refers to the psychological concept of projection, where a deeply emotionally disturbed individual unconsciously or deliberately attributes their own thoughts, feelings, and anti-social or criminal behaviors onto someone else.
This is an internal defense mechanism which allows mentally ill people to avoid confronting their own behavior and guilt by seeing it instead as as the thoughts and actions of another person who they despise and hate.
Wait. That’s precisely what this idiot does on a daily basis.
“Are you really that f-ing stupid to postulate facts that don’t exist”?
Hillary, you said the same thing about Benghazi and the Steele dossier. Is the 3rd time a charm?
Oh! No! The annony moron is all butt hurt I brought facts to the table, as in official flight logs!! What is the matter annony? Facts hurt?
How marvelous!!! 🙂
Delusion, and he calls them facts. One question, you have possession of those flight logs right?
Let’s be purely honest; there really are some individuals who are above the law. . . . That is life . . . It is what it is.
The Clintons may skate but what damage will be done, by their nefarious behavior, to the democrat party? It’s all about the mid terms boys and girls.
My opinion, Epstein may have bribed people to facilitate his suicide. Like so many hardcore narcissists, once he was ruined, he probably decided to off himself, but he went one step further–he did it in a way that would leave enemies and ex-friends in chaos for years.
If so, it worked. Now, both sides beat each other over the head with Epstein’s bones. I have to give it to ol’ Epstein, he’s not only the most successful blackmailer in history, but he’s also now the most successful hoaxer. Any proceeding–Democrat or Republican–will have him smiling at the table, like Banquo’s ghost.
At some point, Washington needs to let the courts handle Epstein’s ghost and move on, but that can’t happen until Democrats stop staging show trials in deranged venues like NYC and Fulton County. I doubt that will ever stop. The Clintons could say something about what was perpetrated against Trump, but I know they won’t.
So… what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Sad but Epstein wins again.
Bribed to die? Really?
Seems outrageous to me too, Dad. Why not just go for the obvious: Jeffy had no friends in power and his ‘clients’ would rather see him dead than testify. So Jeffy had no bargaining chips and you know how it goes for pedos in the big house without friends, right?
. Epstain was gay. The brothel was for some deranged sociobiology researchers.
“Epstein may have bribed people to facilitate his suicide. Like so many hardcore narcissists, once he was ruined, he probably decided to off himself, but he went one step further–he did it in a way that would leave enemies and ex-friends in chaos for years.”
I doubt that very much. One item that has been conspicuously missing from discussions of Epstein’s “misbehavior” is motivation. Now, I, probably like most people upon learning of the prurience and perversion for which he was responsible, figured that he was a warped sexual deviant who had the money to indulge himself, and that it went no further than that.
But I am seeing an undercurrent in the recently released information (particularly that in regard to Bill Gates) that suggests a different primary motive. What if Epstein wasn’t a pervert at all, or if he was, but that was only incidental to his conduct? What if the entire scheme was solely intended to manufacture evidence that would allow him to blackmail the rich and powerful, the world’s movers and shakers? What if, even after his conviction and imprisonment, he remained knowledgeable about all kinds of perverted misdeeds (up to and including murder?) by those powerful individuals that had not yet seen the tiniest glimmer of daylight?
That could be more than sufficient motivation for his murder. And if you do not think that any one of those individuals, with virtually unlimited power and money at his or her disposal, could procure the murder of a prison inmate, to be successfully disguised as suicide, even of a target that was much better surveilled and protected than was Epstein, I would suggest that you are quite naive. If my speculation is correct, the remaining question is chiefly one of motivation.
Did Epstein want riches even beyond the largess that he already enjoyed? Did he aspire to be the prime mover of world events, completely hidden from view? Or was he in the employ of a powerful political agency that controlled him, as he sought to control others?