Invoking the Fifth
Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted former associate of Jeffrey Epstein, refused to answer questions from the US House Oversight Committee during a deposition on Monday. Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence at a federal prison camp in Texas for sex trafficking, pleaded her Fifth Amendment rights in a video call with lawmakers. The committee is investigating individuals connected to Epstein who may have helped facilitate his abuse of minors in the 1990s and 2000s.
Clemency as a Condition for Testimony
Maxwell’s attorney, David Oscar Markus, told lawmakers that she would be willing to testify if US President Donald Trump granted her a pardon. Markus claimed that Maxwell could confirm that neither Trump nor former President Bill Clinton had engaged in wrongdoing with Epstein. He argued that only Maxwell could fully explain her knowledge of Epstein’s network and that the public deserves that explanation.
Backlash and Ongoing Legal Battles
Maxwell’s push for clemency faced immediate bipartisan opposition. Democratic Rep. Melanie Stansbury said she was clearly “campaigning for clemency,” while Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna demanded justice on social media, writing, “NO CLEMENCY. You comply or face punishment,” and calling Maxwell a “monster.” Maxwell continues to challenge her conviction, arguing her trial involved constitutional violations. While the Supreme Court rejected her appeal last year, she requested a New York federal judge review “substantial new evidence” in December. The recent release of millions of Epstein-related documents has renewed scrutiny of Maxwell’s role in the abuse of underage girls, some reportedly as young as 11.
