Ghislaine Maxwell refused to answer questions from the House Oversight Committee on Monday (Image: US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE/AFP via)
Everything you need to know after Ghislaine Maxwell stays silent at Epstein hearing
- Appearing via videolink from a Texas federal prison, Ghislaine Maxwell refused to answer questions from the House Oversight Committee. She invoked her Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination during the probe into Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking ring, frustrating lawmakers who sought details on potential co-conspirators and their crimes.
- Maxwell’s lawyer, David Markus, utilised the hearing to openly campaign for a pardon from President Donald Trump. Markus stated that Maxwell would be prepared to « speak fully and honestly » if granted clemency, suggesting she possesses information that could explain the innocence of high-profile figures.
- The defence team asserted that Maxwell alone can explain why figures like Donald Trump and Bill Clinton are « innocent of any wrongdoing. » By withholding her testimony, her legal team positioned her as the gatekeeper of the « truth » regarding the well-connected financier’s associates.
- Committee Chairman James Comer expressed deep disappointment, noting that Maxwell should not be entitled to immunity. Despite a subpoena issued last year, Maxwell’s silence has blocked the committee from gathering further evidence on how Epstein exploited underage girls for years.
- Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking. While her initial appeals were rejected, her attorneys continue to push for a conviction overturn, citing « substantial new evidence » of constitutional violations during her 2021 trial, which prosecutors described as a case against a « dangerous » predator.
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