Ghislaine Maxwell Seeks Trump’s Mercy While Dodging Lawmakers' Questions
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., alongside Representatives Andy Biggs and William Timmons, addressed reporters following a closed-door deposition with Ghislaine Maxwell on February 9, 2026, at the Capitol.
Maxwell, the former associate of Jeffrey Epstein, opted not to respond to inquiries from House lawmakers during a video call from the federal prison camp in Texas where she is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking. However, she hinted that if President Donald Trump were to grant her clemency, she would be willing to testify that neither he nor former President Bill Clinton had engaged in any wrongdoing regarding their ties to Epstein.
The House Oversight Committee sought answers from Maxwell, but she invoked her Fifth Amendment rights to avoid self-incrimination. This comes as lawmakers intensify their investigation into how Epstein, a well-connected financier, managed to exploit underage girls for years.
As scrutiny over Epstein's actions reaches the highest echelons of business and government, lawmakers are eager to uncover anyone who may have facilitated his abuse. Notably, both Trump and Clinton have been linked to Epstein through social interactions in the 1990s and early 2000s, yet neither has faced credible accusations of misconduct.
In a video released by the committee, Maxwell, dressed in a brown prison-issued shirt and seated at a table with a bottle of water, repeatedly stated, "I am invoking my Fifth Amendment right to silence."
During the deposition, her attorney David Oscar Markus conveyed that "Maxwell is prepared to speak fully and honestly if granted clemency by President Trump." He asserted that both Trump and Clinton "are innocent of any wrongdoing," emphasizing that "Ms. Maxwell alone can explain why, and the public is entitled to that explanation."
Democrats criticized Maxwell's appeal as a blatant attempt to secure a pardon from Trump. "It's very clear she's campaigning for clemency," remarked Rep. Melanie Stansbury, a Democrat from New Mexico.
When questioned about Maxwell's request, the White House referred to previous comments from Trump indicating that a pardon was not on his agenda. Other Republicans swiftly rejected the notion of clemency. "NO CLEMENCY. You comply or face punishment," tweeted Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna. "You deserve JUSTICE for what you did you monster."
Maxwell is also pursuing an appeal to overturn her conviction, claiming wrongful conviction. The Supreme Court dismissed her appeal last year; however, in December, she requested a federal judge in New York to consider what her attorneys describe as "substantial new evidence" suggesting constitutional violations during her trial.
Her attorney referenced this petition while informing lawmakers of her decision to invoke her Fifth Amendment rights. Family members of Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein's most vocal victims, sent a letter to Maxwell stating they do not view her as merely a bystander in Epstein's abuse. "You were a central, deliberate actor in a system built to find children, isolate them, groom them, and deliver them to abuse," wrote Sky and Amanda Roberts.
Last summer, Maxwell was transferred from a federal prison in Florida to a low-security facility in Texas after participating in two days of interviews with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. At that time, Rep. Comer had issued a subpoena for her testimony; however, her attorneys consistently maintained that she would not answer questions. Under pressure to enforce subpoenas on Bill and Hillary Clinton, Comer threatened contempt of Congress charges, prompting both to agree to depositions later this month.
Comer has been negotiating with the Clintons regarding whether their testimonies should be public or private but reiterated his preference for closed-door sessions with subsequent release of transcripts and video.
Meanwhile, several lawmakers visited a Justice Department office in Washington on Monday to review unredacted files related to Epstein released under a law passed by Congress last year. Lawmakers were granted access to over three million documents in a reading room where they could only take handwritten notes without staff assistance.
Rep. Jamie Raskin, the leading Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, spent hours reviewing the documents and remarked that even if all members involved in the vote for file release dedicated every waking hour at the Justice Department, it would still take months to process all the information.
Democrats are preparing for a Wednesday hearing with Attorney General Pam Bondi, where they plan to question her regarding the publication of Epstein files. The Justice Department has faced criticism for failing to redact personal information of many victims and inadvertently releasing sensitive images.
"Over and over we begged them, please be careful," stated Jennifer Freeman, an attorney representing survivors. "The damage has already been done. It feels incompetent, it feels intimidating and it feels intentional."
Democrats also contend that the Justice Department redacted information that should have been public, including details that could lead to scrutiny of Epstein's associates.
Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican who sponsored the legislation mandating file release, reported finding names of six men potentially implicated by their inclusion in the documents after several hours of review. He urged the Justice Department to pursue accountability but noted he might disclose their names during a House floor speech where he would be protected from legal repercussions.
Massie and California Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna also discovered numerous files still containing redactions likely due to the FBI providing edited versions to the Justice Department.
Khanna emphasized that "it wasn't just Epstein and Maxwell" involved in the sexual exploitation of minors.
The release of these files has triggered multiple political crises globally, including in the United Kingdom where Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces scrutiny after revelations about his former ambassador's ties to Epstein. However, Democratic lawmakers lamented that U.S. political figures appear largely unaffected by these developments.
"I'm just afraid that the general worsening and degradation of American life has somehow conditioned people not to take this as seriously as we should be taking it," Raskin expressed.
