By Christopher Rhodes
Blavity
https://blavity.com/
Details of the closed-door depositions of Bill and Hillary Clinton concerning Jeffrey Epstein are now being made public with the release of videos from the Clintons’ testimonies. The newly released House recordings show Hillary Clinton, a long-time target of Republicans, having contentious and sometimes bizarre arguments with GOP representatives during her deposition.
Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert tries to revive debunked Pizzagate conspiracy theory against Hillary Clinton
The recordings released this week show former first lady, Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sparring with Republicans not only over Jeffrey Epstein, whom she maintains she never met, but over various points of her political career. One of the strangest exchanges during the deposition came when the controversial Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Co., asked about the Pizzagate conspiracy theory. Boebert acknowledged that Clinton has “described Pizzagate as a baseless conspiracy theory alleging you and others ran a child sex trafficking ring from a Washington pizzary, -based pizzeria basement.” Boebert nevertheless asked Clinton if she had reviewed emails in the Epstein files about Pizzagate, such as possible secretly coded messages.
The strange question led to Clinton’s lawyer chiming in, asking Boebert if she was asking if Clinton had “reviewed emails in the Epstein files which relate to the wacky Pizzagate scam?” Clinton also responded with frustration at being asked about the “totally made-up” and “outrageous allegation…that caused a deranged young man to show up with his assault rifle and shoot up a local pizzeria.” Clinton, with a look of disbelief on her face for much of the exchange, noted that the Trump-supporting QAnon group subscribed to the Pizzagate conspiracy theory and said, “I don’t follow the crazy conspiracy stories that are online. I regret that anybody does.”
The strange question led to Clinton’s lawyer chiming in, asking Boebert if she was asking if Clinton had “reviewed emails in the Epstein files which relate to the wacky Pizzagate scam?” Clinton also responded with frustration at being asked about the “totally made-up” and “outrageous allegation…that caused a deranged young man to show up with his assault rifle and shoot up a local pizzeria.” Clinton, with a look of disbelief on her face for much of the exchange, noted that the Trump-supporting QAnon group subscribed to the Pizzagate conspiracy theory and said, “I don’t follow the crazy conspiracy stories that are online. I regret that anybody does.”
Commenters have noticed the irony of right-wing politicians and movements, such as QAnon, pushing baseless conspiracy theories about rings of pedophiles, only for President Donald Trump and his supporters to oppose or dismiss scrutiny concerning Epstein, a convicted child sex predator, and Epstein’s possible associates and co-conspirators.
“Instead of focusing on the real pedophile ring involving the current president Repiblicans decided to ask Hillary Clinton about a debunked conspiracy theory,” read one reply on X, formerly Twitter, to the video of Boebert’s questioning of Clinton.
Tense moments between Clinton and GOP congresswomen
The Pizzagate exchange wasn’t the only tense exchange Boebert created. In another video, Clinton’s team realizes during the hearing that Boebert had released a photo from the hearing, which appeared online during Clinton’s testimony. When it became known that Boebert had released the picture, Clinton, who, along with her husband, had pushed for the depositions to be public rather than held behind closed doors, threatened to leave the proceedings.
“I’m done with this, if you guys are doing that,” Clinton declared. “We all are abiding by the same rules!” Clinton said, as Boebert promised to remove the photos.
Clinton also engaged in a contentious exchange with Republican South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, who attempted to connect Clinton with Epstein via a 2016 fundraiser held by current Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick. Clinton insisted that she never met Epstein or solicited any money from him despite any messages from Lutnick inviting Epstein to a fundraiser. Mace posted a video of her contentious exchange with Clinton, offering it as “proof” of Mace’s earlier claims that Clinton was “unhinged” and “screaming” during the deposition.
Lutnick has come under scrutiny for seemingly lying about the extent of his personal interactions with Epstein, stemming from a time when the two men were neighbors. Mace’s attempts to link him and Epstein to Clinton received mixed reactions.
While some commentators argued that Clinton came off poorly in the video, others dispute Mace’s characterization.
“This isn’t hitting the way you think it is,” one commenter said in response to Mace. “And if you’re upset at Hilary Clinton for her ties to Howard, why aren’t you equally upset with Trump, who has been protecting him?”
Overall, the hearing didn’t provide any evidence that Hillary Clinton had ever met or interacted with Epstein or that her husband, who dealt with Epstein and infamously flew on Epstein’s private jet during a 2002 trip to Africa, had any knowledge of or participation in illegal activities. The hearing did reveal that Republicans still harbor animosity toward Mrs. Clinton and continue to attempt to connect her to conspiracies and accusations of wrongdoing, much as they have done throughout her political career.
