Ghislaine Maxwell Pleads Fifth in US House Deposition

Ghislaine Maxwell, who was the convicted associate of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has refused to answer questions during a closed-door deposition. Before the US House Oversight Committee on Monday, she invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. The testimony took place virtually from a Texas prison, where Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking.

Republican committee chairman James Comer said that the outcome was expected but disappointing. “We had many questions to ask about the crimes she and Epstein committed, as well as questions about potential co-conspirators”, he told reporters. He added that lawmakers sought “the truth for the American people, and justice for the survivors”.

Maxwell’s decision immediately halted the efforts by the bipartisan committee to extract new details about Epstein’s trafficking network. As a result, the long-running case continues to face intense public and political scrutiny.

Maxwell’s Decision Invokes Constitutional Right

The Fifth Amendment of the US Constitution says that any individual may refuse to answer the questions under oath if their responses could lead to self-incrimination. According to Comer, Maxwell relied on that protection throughout the deposition. Meanwhile, Democratic Representative Melanie Stansbury said that Maxwell used the appearance to “campaign for clemency”, rather than cooperate with Congress.

Comer rejected any notion of leniency and stated that survivor accounts made it clear. They said that, “Maxwell was a very bad person” who did not deserve any type of immunity. Earlier on Monday, Maxwell’s lawyer, David Oscar Markus, posted that she was “prepared to speak fully and honestly if granted clemency by President Trump”. He argued that “only she can provide the complete account”, while adding that “the truth matters”. However, the White House has repeatedly said that “no leniency is being given or discussed” in relation to Maxwell.

Epstein Survivors Urged Skepticism through Letters

Before the deposition, a group of Epstein survivors sent a letter to the Oversight Committee. They urged the lawmakers to treat any claims from Maxwell with caution. They criticized her past refusal to identify “the many powerful men” who were involved in Epstein’s operation. They also warned that granting her credibility or special treatment would be “catastrophic for survivors”.

Maxwell was convicted in 2021 for helping lure underage girls for Epstein, who was her former boyfriend. Epstein died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial.

In a separate letter to Comer, Democratic Representative Ro Khanna said that he planned to question Maxwell about a court filing in which she referred to “four named co-conspirators” and 25 others who were not charged. He also intended to ask about her and Epstein’s social ties with Donald Trump and whether a potential pardon was ever discussed. However, Trump has denied wrongdoing and says he cut ties with Epstein decades ago.

Justice Department Opens Epstein Files to Lawmakers

The deposition comes as the US Department of Justice begins allowing members of Congress to review nearly three million un-redacted pages from its Epstein investigation. According to a leading news site, lawmakers were accessing the files in person, that was already started on Monday.

“I think it’s great that the Department of Justice is letting members of Congress come in and look at all the un-redacted versions”, Comer said. Finally, a group of survivors renewed calls for greater transparency, while Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has denied claims of any cover-up. He said that the idea of hidden, unprosecuted evidence is unfounded.

Web Resources on Maxwell’s Refusal to Answer on Epstein Files

1. CBSNews.com: Ghislaine Maxwell pleads the Fifth
2. ABCNews.go.com: Ghislaine Maxwell invokes 5th Amendment in closed-door House Oversight deposition
3. Politico.com: Ghislaine Maxwell pleads the Fifth in House Oversight Epstein
4. AcademicBlock.com: Bill and Hillary Clinton Agree to Testify in House Epstein Probe