Maxwell Pleads the Fifth in Brief House Oversight Deposition; Attorney Offers Testimony Only if Trump Grants Clemency
Ghislaine Maxwell invoked her Fifth Amendment right during a closed-door virtual deposition before the House Oversight Committee on Feb. 9, 2026, refusing to answer questions; her attorney said she would testify only if President Trump grants clemency.
Key takeaways
- Invoked the Fifth: Maxwell declined to answer questions during a closed virtual deposition that lasted under an hour (ABC News).
- Clemency conditional: Attorney David Oscar Markus said Maxwell has no information implicating Presidents Trump or Clinton and offered full cooperation if clemency is granted by Mr. Trump (CBS News; Politico).
- Probe continues: The bipartisan House Oversight investigation will continue with depositions of Leslie Wexner, Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton later this month (ABC News).
- Local implications: The case resonates in communities such as Hesperia, Calif., where voters and leaders watch for accountability and transparency.
Main coverage
What happened at the deposition
Brief, closed, and by video. Maxwell appeared by video from a minimum-security prison camp in Bryan, Texas, where she is serving a 20-year sentence for federal sex‑trafficking convictions tied to Jeffrey Epstein. The deposition opened Monday morning and concluded in less than an hour after Maxwell asserted her Fifth Amendment right not to answer questions (ABC News; CBS News).
Committee lawyers had prepared a closed‑door interview as part of the House Oversight Committee investigation into how federal authorities handled Epstein’s case. The committee subpoenaed Maxwell in July 2025 after she resisted earlier requests. She cooperated in a separate two‑day Justice Department interview last summer but did not provide new public details beyond a released transcript (CBS News).
Attorney’s statement and the clemency pitch
David Oscar Markus, Maxwell’s lawyer, read an opening statement to the committee and told lawmakers Maxwell has nothing that would tie President Donald Trump or former President Bill Clinton to Epstein’s crimes. Markus said Maxwell is willing to provide full, honest testimony — but only if President Trump grants clemency.
“If this committee and the American public truly want to hear the unfiltered truth about what happened, there is a straightforward path. Ms. Maxwell is prepared to speak fully and honestly if granted clemency by President Trump. Only she can provide the complete account. Some may not like what they hear, but the truth matters.”
Markus posted the statement on X after the deposition and told the committee the same condition in the session. He also cited pending legal matters in New York federal court as a reason for Maxwell’s silence, saying her Fifth Amendment right required her to decline to answer. Markus has previously sought immunity or cooperation agreements that the committee did not accept (CBS News; Politico).
House reactions and partisan views
Partisan split: Reactions on the committee largely fell along party lines, though leaders stressed the probe will continue. Republican Chairman James Comer called Maxwell’s refusal “very disappointing” and said the committee will press ahead; he also said he does not support clemency or immunity, citing meetings with Epstein survivors who view Maxwell as responsible for harm (ABC News).
Rep. Andy Biggs, a Republican on the panel, confirmed Markus’s statement that Maxwell’s lawyer cleared both President Trump and Bill Clinton of wrongdoing (ABC News).
Democrats framed the move differently. Rep. Jasmine Crockett said Maxwell shows “no remorse,” and Rep. Robert Garcia accused Maxwell of protecting others and receiving “special treatment” under the Trump administration — pointing to a prison transfer after a July 2025 meeting between Maxwell and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. Rep. Suhas Subramanyam called the clemency pitch a calculated strategy, describing Maxwell as “unrepentant” and “robotic” (CBS News).
Broader House Oversight Committee investigation
The deposition is part of a wider investigation into how federal authorities handled Epstein’s crimes. The panel has subpoenaed former U.S. attorneys general, FBI leaders and others as lawmakers seek to understand whether decisions in the Epstein case were proper and whether victims were treated fairly (CBS News).
Several depositions are scheduled: Leslie Wexner on Feb. 18, Hillary Clinton on Feb. 26 and Bill Clinton on Feb. 27, along with later interviews of Epstein’s former accountant and lawyer. Chairman Comer said the probe will continue despite Maxwell’s refusal to answer questions (ABC News).
Context: Transparency Act and previous interviews
This line of inquiry follows the Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed by President Trump in November 2025. The law released Justice Department records that placed Maxwell at the center of Epstein’s trafficking operation from roughly 2000 to 2010, according to documents made public under the act. Maxwell was subpoenaed last July and has a record of limited cooperation with prosecutors, including a two‑day DOJ interview last year that produced a transcript released to the public (CBS News).
Legal experts note invoking the Fifth is a common legal right. But lawmakers and survivors say repeated refusals to answer questions can frustrate efforts for transparency and accountability. The committee aims to produce a public record of what federal officials did or did not do in the Epstein investigation (Politico).
Maxwell’s situation in Texas
Maxwell is serving a 20‑year federal sentence at a prison camp in Bryan, Texas, and appeared in the deposition by video from that facility. Any clemency would come from the president and could affect her sentence and ability to speak freely about events tied to Epstein. No clemency has been granted (ABC News; CBS News).
Implications for Hesperia, California
Economic and legal trust: Residents and business owners in Hesperia follow the investigation because it touches on fairness in the justice system. Many value law and order and want public officials to be thorough and honest. The clemency offer raises questions about how leaders handle high‑profile cases (CBS News).
Political consequences: Hesperia, in San Bernardino County, leans conservative in many local races. Local Republican voters likely support a probe that seeks transparent answers while opposing political deals that look like backroom stops to justice. The clemency offer will be a touchpoint for debates about presidential power and accountability (ABC News).
Social effects: Survivors’ voices matter in Hesperia. Local leaders who focus on victims’ rights want any cooperative testimony to come without conditions, echoing Chairman Comer’s meetings with victims. The community will look for protections that prioritize survivors over political bargaining (CBS News).
Cultural relevance: Voters emphasizing personal responsibility and the rule of law may view Maxwell’s invocation of the Fifth as legally allowable but politically unsatisfying. Calls for transparency and straightforward answers may resonate more than strategic legal maneuvers (Politico).
Practical concerns: Immediate effects for residents are political and legal rather than local policy changes, but the investigation could influence voter turnout and local campaigns. Elected officials who stress law‑and‑order themes may use developments to argue for clearer rules around executive clemency.
Sources and reporting
Reporting for this article relied on coverage by ABC News, CBS News, and Politico. Video of the deposition appearance was also available (YouTube). The article reflects committee statements, attorney filings and public remarks from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
