Below is my column in the Hill on the deposition of former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Democrats are now pledging retaliation once they take power by calling President Donald Trump. The rush to use the scandal for political advantage has already resulted in some embarrassing misfires.
Here is the column:
The deposition of former President Bill Clinton this week was both unprecedented and strikingly reminiscent. It was the first time a former president had been deposed by the House, let alone under subpoena. Yet it is hardly the first deposition for Clinton. Twenty-eight years ago, I testified in Clinton’s impeachment hearing after he had lied under oath about his relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
Given his earlier previous perjury over an affair with a young woman, few would rely on Clinton’s denials of relations with multiple young women shown in pictures associated with Epstein. But given the paucity of direct evidence, there is ample room for plausible deniability. And plausible deniability is the realm wherein the Clintons have long dwelt — between the outright conclusive and the merely scandalous.
The embarrassing photos of Clinton in a hot tub or receiving massages from young women come as a shock to no one. For anyone familiar with his past, Clinton was in his element. The level of Clinton’s interaction with Epstein is also extensive. Clinton flew on Epstein’s notorious private plane, dubbed the “Lolita Express, at least 26 times and had Epstein visit the White House at least 16 times. Although Clinton has denied visiting Epstein’s island, various witnesses have claimed they saw him there.
Epstein emails also discuss his contributions to the Clinton Global Initiative and his work to assist the Clintons.
That presents a greater challenge than debating what the meaning of “is is.”
The greatest danger was not that Clinton would be charged with sexual crimes connected to these underage girls. Prosecutors clearly did not find sufficient evidence for such charges. However, Clinton has previously shown the danger of being “too clever by half.” He and Hillary have spent their lives evading accountability, including his alleged perjury in the prior deposition. That record can create a dangerous sense of impunity and misplaced self-confidence.
In 1998, I appeared at the Clinton impeachment and, despite voting for Clinton as a lifelong Democrat, I testified that his conduct in office had satisfied the standard of a “high crime and misdemeanor.”
Clinton ultimately relied on Democratic senators to avoid conviction and was never formally charged with perjury, despite his public admissions of guilt.
In the latest deposition, Clinton denied knowing anything about Epstein’s conduct with underage girls. Clinton built on his prior Lewinsky testimony by pluralizing his most famous declaration, denying that he had sex with those women. He said he had no memory of the identity of the young woman pictured with him in the hot tub. “I saw nothing,” he declared. “I did nothing wrong.”
For critics, it was the Sgt. Schultz defense that the Clintons have used in a long litany of scandals.
There is no evidence that Clinton had relations with “those women.” Although Epstein’s associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, attended Chelsea Clinton’s wedding after the allegations were publicly known, there is no way to prove any knowledge by Clinton of his friend’s unlawful proclivities. Maxwell was also given an award by the Clinton Global Initiative in 2013 — five years after the public disclosure of the first Epstein allegations.
Investigators will now go through the long deposition to see if Clinton tripped any wires in his denials. In the meantime, Democrats are denouncing the deposition while pledging to replicate it by hauling in President Trump at some future date, once they are back in power. It is unlikely to happen while he is in office, but the Clinton deposition created a precedent for subpoenaing former presidents.
There is no evidence that Trump committed any crime in relation to Epstein. He will be able to point to the fact that he expelled Epstein from his club at Mar-a-Lago, as well as his correspondence with local police encouraging their investigation of Epstein.
It does not matter that prosecutors, including under the Biden administration, found no evidence to charge Trump. Democrats have already dispensed with any need for a factual basis for conspiracy theories.
Recently, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) gave a chest-pounding speech about revealing the names of six powerful men who had been protected by the Trump Justice Department from disclosure. Four of them turned out to have nothing to do with Epstein and weren’t especially powerful either. All Khanna accomplished was to multiply by 400 percent the earlier fiasco by Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), who spuriously connected politicians with a different man — a neurosurgeon named Jeffrey Epstein.
This week, Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) used a hearing to accuse Trump of abusing an underage girl who was later allegedly murdered to keep her silent. His source? A driver who said he overheard Trump talking about abusing a minor and later learned of her murder. There is no evidence of the death, and the source has reportedly published hundreds of anti-Trump and bizarre postings.
Lieu posted two pages from the FBI report containing the allegation but withheld a third page that showed the same man making further allegations of a drunken Hillary Clinton and an effort to frame someone in the Oklahoma City bombing. There is a good reason raw investigative and grand jury materials are usually kept secret.
The only thing more indecent than Epstein himself is the effort to use the scandal for political advantage. The scandal has ensnared as many leading Democrats as Republicans, if not more. But Epstein is the perfect political weapon with salacious allegations to inject directly into the media bloodstream against your opponents.
Epstein himself once boasted, “I invest in people — be it politics or science. It’s what I do.” It now appears that Epstein himself is the investment that many in politics believe will bring unlimited political gains.
Jonathan Turley is a law professor and the author of the New York Times bestselling “Rage and the Republic: The Unfinished Story of the American Revolution.”
The Epstein crimes and aftermath, now the War with Iran, are a diversion from what needs to be exposed and consequences addressed.
GET INTO THE MEAT of the MALICE.
The Clintons (Hillary) tore into her opponents from her position in offices of State and Status.
Brennan – His activities with Intel Agencies and his investigations into Donald Trump (Family, Businesses, Partners, et.al).
Comey – Burn Bags, Open Pandora’s Box ~ RELEASE THE BURN BAGS NOW .
Wray, … THE LIST.
What They (The Government) did to that Candidate (Trump), was to conspire to overthrow the processes set forth in the Constitution, through the use of Governmental and External (Media) means. That was not Democracy, it was treason.
Chuck Grassley, James Comer, Jim Jordan, Pam Bondi, Kash Patel … the statute times are ticking away!
“There is no evidence that Trump committed any crime in relation to Epstein.”
Yet. Bondi is working hard to cover up as much as she can from exposing Trump. If former President Clinton can be deposed so can Trump once he leaves office. Remember, Republicans set the new precedent.
What I find strange is why Hillary Clinton needed to be deposed. She was never associated with Epstein or ever went to his island. Trump flew on Epstein’s plane than he has led on. Every MAGA knows Trump is guilty of being associated with Epstein. Howard Lutnik also claimed to have cut ties with Epstein at a certain time but he was caught lying about it when files showed he was still hanging out with him long after he claimed he stopped. Trump who “doesn’t remember” people who he wants to avoid being associated with has a long record of “not remembering” people he was deeply associated with.
Conspiracy george is backkkkkkkkkkk……….
You find strange? …. as its said, you’d be dangerous if you had a brain. Here, you’re just an old fool.
Professor Turley writes, “He will be able to point to the fact that he expelled Epstein from his club at Mar-a-Lago, as well as his correspondence with local police encouraging their investigation of Epstein… It does not matter that prosecutors, including under the Biden administration, found no evidence to charge Trump.”
The above quote is a documented fact, and while not dispositive, it is definitely suggestive of Trump’s innocence. That’s more than many Democrats can claim, which is why the Biden administration and the media may have sat on this for four long years.
X ignores the big stuff and focuses on his own pure speculation to keep people confused. In that respect, he is typical of his party. I miss Democrats like JFK and Harry Truman. They weren’t perfect, but they weren’t perfect liars, either.
Turls, this is hilarious. While speculating on using the Epstein files for political gain…, you try to use the Epstein files for political gain and to re up on your decades long Clinton resentment.
Just to clear up what you’re trying to skirt around: of course now the R’s have called in a one time president to be deposed on the files the president who appears in them most can be deposed. Hands down that is trump as he appears in them upwards of a thousand times.
And lest we forget about the 13 year old babysitter trump mouth raped only to punch her in the head afterward when she bit Mr. Happy.
That’s what you’re shilling for this morning, Jon.
Pres. Clinton was able to work with Newt Gingrich to balance the federal budget. What he did with his personal life is not exemplary, but he was able to pull Dems is a pragmatic, moderate direction. I try to keep a balanced view of past Presidents, as all had successes and failures.
Let’s see if Trump can tame $1.7B in deficit spending. That’s why I don’t take sides.
If enough Americans remain independent, we have the best chance to make the 2 parties compete on proposed policies and actual results. Once you take sides, that party will take you for granted, and the other party will write you off as unreachable….you give up your power by identifying strongly with either party.
Earth to Anon, earth to anon…
“The scandal has ensnared as many leading Democrats as Republicans, if not more.” The first half of this sentence needs factual support.
Not at all. Its an opinion column.
Well Epstein can discuss his failings with a recently deceased Ayatollah wherever they both may be.
I like the “Sgt. Schultz Defense”. Although I would add “I do not Recall” ad infinitum to the list of Clinton phrases.
Of course there is a statement in the comments where it is stated that there is evidence of a crime because there is a lack of evidence. This alleged purged evidence must have passed over the event horizon of a black hole because it must be there since there is no evidence it is there. We might need Isaac Newton or Albert Einstein to figure that one out.
Must have something to do with Quantum Physics or Schrodinger’s Cat.
Lots of meaningless clichés, whats your point please?
GEB,
Good point about their evidence of wrong doing is the lack of evidence. Takes some serious physics of the space time continuum kind to make any sense or logic in that one.
I will care about any of this when there is some real, credible evidence of ANYONE doing SOMETHING criminal.
Evidence? he wrote satire, not an investigative report.
Believe Fascist Democrats
They jailed Republicans by the 1000’s…they destroy republican lives by the millions!
And they’re all in Russia fighting for Putin?
Democrats hide behind the shield of the Speech and Debate Clause when making allegations of wrongdoing against Trump. Congress did not want its members held to the same standards of libel and slander as the rest of society, so excluded itself from having to state facts instead of lies. Lying Lieu is the poster boy for the Big Lie against Trump.
Both groups hide behind the Speech and Debate Clause. And then you answered yourself, congress excluded… I would ask you to reseach that on the internet. Lots of sources, all with the same justification: Protection from libel suits. Imagine a billionaire (no names mentioned) sues everyone who hurts his feelings. That would be the literal end of democracy.
Well said
Bill Clinton could have been regarded as an excellent president, a master of modern day compromise. However, he was seduced, first by his hormones and then by his wallet. Hillary? She just plays dirty, even now.
Ever dawn on that the Clintons are masters of deflection. Nothing wrong with that. If they were republicans you would praise them a gods.
“There is no evidence that Trump committed any crime in relation to Epstein.” Yes there, by the fact that there is a lack of evidence. Its been purged.
So you believe that there was evidence that Trump committed a crime and that the Biden Administration kept it under wraps for 4 years? A mind is a terrible thing to waste.
Got proof it ain’t so? If you had a mind, it would still be wasted.
For many Democrats, the appropriate phrase is not “A mind is a terrible thing to waste” but, “A mind is a terrible thing.”