February 10, 2026
In a deposition Monday before the House Oversight Committee, former Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell invoked the Fifth Amendment and declined to answer any questions from lawmakers.
Maxwell’s attorney, David Oscar Markus, told the committee that his client would testify only if President Trump granted her clemency. According to Markus, “Only she can provide the complete account. Some may not like what they hear, but the truth matters. For example, both President Trump and President Clinton are innocent of any wrongdoing. Ms. Maxwell alone can explain why, and the public is entitled to that explanation.”
House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-KY) opposed the clemency proposal and criticized Maxwell’s decision to remain silent, saying “Unfortunately, she had an opportunity today to answer questions that every American has — questions that would be very important in this investigation — and she chose to invoke her Fifth Amendment right.”
That same day, members of Congress began reviewing unredacted versions of 3 million files recently released by the Justice Department under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
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by Stephanie Wagner, based in Florida
