Former first lady, secretary of state, and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton erupted in anger last week after learning that Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., had shared a photo of her testifying about Jeffrey Epstein during a closed-door deposition before the House Oversight Committee.
Clinton appeared for a private deposition last Thursday. The proceeding was intended to remain confidential, with rules read at the outset prohibiting the sharing of images or details from inside the room. But at one point, the hearing was abruptly paused after it was discovered that a photo of Clinton testifying had surfaced on social media.
According to Clinton adviser Nick Merrill, the image had been sent by Boebert to right-wing influencer Benny Johnson.
“The hearing just went off the record for a moment because it seems, as some of you may have seen, there was a photograph shared on social media, which is against the rules read at the top of the meeting,” Merrill told reporters at the time. He added that the deposition was paused while officials attempted to determine where the photo originated and why a member of Congress might have violated the stated rules.
The drama unfolded publicly on Monday when the House Oversight Committee released the full video of Clinton’s deposition. The footage captured the tense moment when a member of Clinton’s team interrupted the proceedings after discovering the photo had been posted online.
“Excuse me, can I interrupt?” the Clinton ally asked. “There are photos that are being released of the secretary as she is testifying from inside this room. Can you please advise me as to whether or not that’s permissible and consistent with the rules?”
The aide emphasized that Clinton’s team had requested a public hearing, raising questions about why images were being released from what was supposed to be a closed session. “Particularly given that we have asked for a public hearing, if there are photos that are being released of the secretary as she’s testifying, can you please explain how—” the aide began before being cut off by Clinton herself.
Clearly incensed, Clinton exploded.
“I’m done with this. If you guys are doing that, I am done! You can hold me in contempt from now until the cows come home. This is just typical behavior!” she exclaimed.
Shortly thereafter, a member of the committee acknowledged, “I did post one.”
“Oh for heaven’s sakes!” Clinton shot back, visibly frustrated.
The congresswoman at the center of the controversy protested that the image had been taken and shared before the hearing formally began. But Clinton dismissed the explanation outright.
“It doesn’t matter! We all are abiding by the same rules!” she fired back, underscoring her belief that the guidelines applied equally to all present.
The congresswoman responded that she would remove the post.
“I will take that down,” she said.
Clinton, however, appeared unmoved.
“Yeah, well,” she replied curtly, before agreeing with a member of her team who suggested taking a break. “Yeah, I’m done for now!”
The exchange marked a dramatic pause in what was already a high-profile deposition tied to the Epstein investigation, highlighting tensions between Clinton and Republican members of the committee as the proceedings unfolded behind closed doors.
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