Ghislaine Maxwell to Face US Congress in Closed-Door Deposition, Set to Plead the Fifth

Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted accomplice of Jeffrey Epstein, is scheduled to face questioning from the US Congress on Monday in a closed-door deposition. Serving a 20-year prison sentence for trafficking minors to Epstein, Maxwell will participate in the deposition via videolink from prison. However, it is anticipated that she will invoke her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, a move that is expected to prevent her from answering any questions.

Maxwell’s deposition is being conducted by the House Oversight Committee, which is investigating the connections between Epstein and powerful political and business figures, as well as the handling of information about his crimes. While no new criminal charges against Maxwell are expected following the release of recent government files on Epstein, the committee’s inquiry has already stirred political ramifications, with several influential figures implicated by their ties to the disgraced financier.

Jeffrey Epstein, who was convicted in 2008 for soliciting a minor, had extensive connections to some of the world’s most powerful individuals, and his release from jail in 2009 only deepened his global influence. Epstein’s ties to high-profile figures have continued to fuel scandal, and his mysterious death in 2019, ruled a suicide, remains a point of controversy.

Maxwell’s lawyers have called for Congress to grant her legal immunity in exchange for her testimony, but lawmakers have rejected the request. Without immunity, Maxwell’s legal team has made it clear that she will assert her Fifth Amendment rights, a decision they argue would render the proceedings little more than a political spectacle.

In anticipation of the deposition, Representative Ro Khanna, a Democrat on the Oversight Committee, published a letter outlining some of the questions he intended to ask Maxwell, even if she refuses to answer. Among these, the questions touch on high-profile figures like former President Donald Trump, whose connections to Epstein are well-documented. Despite being a longtime associate of Epstein, Trump has not been asked to testify by the Republican-led committee. Maxwell’s connection to the Trump administration, including meetings with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who previously served as Trump’s personal lawyer, has also drawn scrutiny.

The Clinton family is also expected to be deposed by the committee. Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, both Democrats, have indicated their willingness to testify but have called for their depositions to be made public to avoid partisan manipulation of their testimonies.

The inquiry into Epstein’s network and Maxwell’s role in facilitating his crimes continues to unravel significant political ramifications. As the deposition unfolds behind closed doors, the public awaits the potential revelations and the wider implications of Maxwell’s unwillingness to cooperate.