SECRETARY CLINTON'S OPENING STATEMENT
TO THE HOUSE OVERSIGHT AND GOVERNMENT
REFORM COMMITTEE
FEBRUARY 26, 2026
Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member, Members of the Committee... as a former Senator. I
have respect for legislative oversight and I expect its exercise, as do the American
people, to be principled and fearless in pursuit of truth and accountability.
As we all know, however, too often Congressional investigations are partisan political
theater, which is an abdication of duty and an insult to the American people.
The Committee justified its subpoena to me based on its assumption that I have
information regarding the investigations into the criminal activities of Jeffrey Epstein
and Ghislaine Maxwell. Let me be as clear as I can. I do not.
As I stated in my sworn declaration on January 13, 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, homes or offices. I have nothing to add to that.
Like every decent person, I have been horrified by what we have learned about their
crimes. it's unfathomable that Mr. Epstein initially got a slap on the wrist in 2008,
which allowed him to continue his predatory practices for another decade.
Mr. Chairman, your investigation is supposed to be assessingthe federal
government's handling of the investigations and prosecutions of Epstein and his
crimes. You subpoenaed eight law enforcement officials, all of whom ran the
Department of Justice or directed the FBI when Epstein's crimes were investigated
and prosecuted. Of those eight, only one appeared before the Committee. Five of the
six former attorneys general were allowed to submit brief statements stating they
had no information to provide.
You have held zero public hearings, refused to allow the media to attend them,
including today, despite espousing the need for transparency on dozens of occasions.
You have made little effort to call the people who show up most prominently in the
Epstein files. And when you did, not a single Republican Member showed up for Les
Wexner's deposition.
SECRETARY CLINTON'S OPENING STATEMENT
(CONTINUED 2/4)
This institutional failure is designed to protect one political party and one public
official, rather than to seek truth and justice for the victims and survivors, as well as
the public who also want to get to the bottom of this matter. My heart breaks for the
survivors. And I am furious on their behalf.
I have spent my life advocating for women and girls. I have worked hard to stop the
terrible abuses so many women and girls face here and around the world, including
human trafficking, forced labor, and sexual slavery. For too long, these have been
largely invisible crimes or not treated as crimes at all. But the survivors are real and
they are entitled to better.
In Southeast Asia, I met girls as young as twelve years old who were forced into
prostitution and raped repeatedly. Some were dying of AIDS. In Eastern Europe, I met
mothers who told me how they lost daughters to trafficking and did not know where
to turn. In settings around the world, I met survivors trying to rebuild their lives and
help rescue others - with little support from people in power, who too often turned a
blind eye and a cold shoulder.
If you are new to this issue, let me tell you: Jeffrey Epstein was a heinous individual,
but he's far from alone. This is not a one-off tabloid sensation or a political scandal.
It's a global scourge with an unimaginable human toll.
My work combatting sex trafficking goes back to my days as First Lady. I worked to
pass the first federal legislation against trafficking and was proud that my husband
signed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, which increased support for survivors
and gave prosecutors better tools for going after traffickers.
As Secretary of State, I appointed a former federal prosecutor, Lou CdeBaca, to ramp
up our global anti trafficking efforts. I oversaw nearly 170 anti-trafficking programs in
7O nations and directly pressedforeign leaders to crack down on trafficking networks
in their countries. Every year we published a global report to shine a light on abuses.
The findings of those reports triggered sanctions on countries failingto make
progress, so they became a powerful diplomatic tool to drive concrete action.
I insisted that the United States be included in the report for the first time ever in
2011. Because we must hold ourselves not just to the same standard as the rest of the
world but to an even higher one. Sex trafficking and modern slavery should have no
place in America. None. 6
SECRETARY CLINTON'S OPENING STATEMENT
(CONTINUED 3/4)
infuriatingly, the Trump Administration gutted the Trafficking in Persons Office at the
State Department, cutting more than 70 percent of the career civil and foreign
service experts who worked so hard to prevent trafficking crimes. The annual
trafficking report, required by law, was delayed for months. The message from the
Trump Administration to the American people and the world could not be clearer:
combating human trafficking is no longer an American priority under the Trump
White House.
That is a tragedy. It's a scandal. It deserves vigorous investigation and oversight.
A committee endeavoring to stopping human trafficking would seek to understand
what specific steps are needed to fix a system that allowed Epstein to get away with
his crimes in 2008.
A committee run by elected officials with a commitment to transparency would
ensure the full release of all the files.
It would ensure that the lawful redactions of those files protected the victims and
survivors, not powerful men and political allies.
It would get to the bottom of reports that DOJ withheld FBI interviews in which a
survivor accuses President Trump of heinous crimes.
It would subpoena anyone who asked on which night there would be the "wildest
party" on Epstein's island.
lt would demand testimony from prosecutors in Florida and New York about why
they gave Epstein a sweetheart deal and chose not to pursue others who may have
been implicated.
It would demand that Secretary Rubio and AttorneyGeneral Bondi testify about why
this administration is abandoning survivors and playing into the hands of traffickers.
It would seek out officers on the front lines of this fight and ask them what support
they need.
It would put forth legislation to provide more resources and force this administration
to act. 6
SECRETARY CLINTON'S OPENING STATEMENT
(CONTINUED 4/4)
But that's not happening.
Instead, you have compelled me to testify, fully aware that I have no knowledge that
would assist your investigation,in order to distract attention from President Trump's
actions and to cover them Up) despite legitimate calls for answers.
If this Committee is serious about learning the truth about Epstein's trafficking crimes,
it would not rely on press gaggles to get answers from our current president on his
involvement, it would ask him directly under oath about the tens of thousands of
times he shows up in the Epstein files.
If the majority was serious, it would not waste time on fishing expeditions. There is
too much that needs to be done.
What is being held back? Who is being protected? And why the cover-up?
My challenge to you, Mr. Chairman, Members of the Committee, is the same challenge
I put to myself throughout my long service to this nation. How to be worthy of the
trust the American people have given you. They expect statesmanship, not
gamesmanship. Leading, not grandstanding. They expect you to use your power to
get to the truth and to do more to help survivors of Epstein's crimes as well as the
millions more who are victims of sex trafficking.
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