Ghislaine Maxwell Refuses to Testify Before US House Committee, Citing Fifth Amendment Rights

Washington D.C. Ghislaine Maxwell, the close associate and former girlfriend of American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has refused to testify before a US House committee. She also indicated a willingness to speak if granted a presidential pardon.

The House Oversight Committee had summoned her for testimony in a closed-door session on Monday. However, Maxwell declined to answer questions, invoking her constitutional right against self-incrimination, the Fifth Amendment.

Committee Chairman, Republican Representative James Comer, called her behavior extremely disappointing. He stated, 'We had many questions about the crimes she and Epstein committed, and we also wanted to ask about potential co-conspirators.' Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking. She is incarcerated in a federal prison in Texas. She was convicted in 2021 for aiding Epstein in the sexual abuse of minors.

In the video of the closed-door testimony, she was wearing the gray uniform worn by inmates. She repeatedly stated, 'I exercise my right to remain silent under my Fifth Amendment.' Her lawyer, David Oscar Marcus, stated in a letter sent to the committee, 'Maxwell is prepared to speak fully and honestly if President Donald Trump grants her a pardon.' He also claimed that both Trump and former President Bill Clinton are innocent. However, he added that only Maxwell can provide the true explanation.

This testimony comes as the release of millions of internal documents related to Epstein by the US Department of Justice is causing a stir worldwide. Those files show that both Trump and Clinton spent time with Epstein in the 1990s and 2000s, but no credible criminal allegations have been made against them. Bill Clinton and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, are scheduled to appear for testimony later this month.