Ghislaine Maxwell Pleads the Fifth in Closed House Oversight Deposition; Attorney Seeks Clemency From Trump
Ghislaine Maxwell invoked the Fifth Amendment during a closed-door virtual deposition with the House Oversight Committee on Feb. 9, 2026, refusing to answer questions about Jeffrey Epstein unless President Trump grants clemency, her attorney said.
- Short deposition: Maxwell’s closed-door deposition lasted under an hour after she invoked the Fifth, yielding no new testimony about co-conspirators or timelines.
- Clemency condition: Attorney David Oscar Markus said Maxwell would speak fully only if President Trump granted clemency.
- Part of broad probe: The appearance is tied to a bipartisan House Oversight investigation using the Epstein Files Transparency Act records and multiple subpoenas.
- Committee response: Chairman James Comer vowed to continue depositions and subpoenas despite the quick end to Maxwell’s session.
What happened in the deposition
On the morning of Feb. 9, 2026, Ghislaine Maxwell appeared virtually before the House Oversight Committee. Her attorney opened with a statement and then said she would invoke her constitutional right not to answer questions that could incriminate her. The closed-door deposition ended quickly — in under an hour — without committee members obtaining testimony about co-conspirators, timelines, or new evidence. (Sources: ABC News, CBS News, Politico.)
Attorney’s statement and the clemency offer
David Oscar Markus read an opening statement asserting that Maxwell has no information implicating President Donald Trump or former President Bill Clinton in Epstein-related crimes. Markus said,
“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 also cited a pending legal petition in New York federal court as a reason Maxwell invoked the Fifth. (Sources: CBS News, Politico.)
Why the committee subpoenaed Maxwell
The deposition is part of a broader, bipartisan effort to examine how federal agencies and officials handled investigations into Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. The committee issued a subpoena to Maxwell in July 2025 after reviewing Justice Department records and witness accounts. The Oversight Committee has also used records obtained under the Epstein Files Transparency Act — passed by Congress and signed into law in November 2025 — to obtain and release internal Justice Department documents related to the case. (Source: CBS News.)
Committee response and next steps
Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) said he was disappointed the deposition ended quickly and reaffirmed the committee’s plan to press forward. The committee has scheduled additional depositions and interviews, including planned appearances by Leslie Wexner (Feb. 18), Hillary Clinton (Feb. 26), and Bill Clinton (Feb. 27), along with Epstein’s accountants, lawyers, former attorneys general, FBI directors, the Justice Department, and representatives of Epstein’s estate. (Sources: ABC News, CBS News.)
Reactions from lawmakers and survivors
Responses split along partisan lines. Some Republicans noted Markus’s claim that neither President Trump nor former President Bill Clinton would be implicated. Many Democrats and several Republicans criticized Maxwell’s invocation of the Fifth and the clemency offer as attempts to avoid accountability and fail survivors. Representatives including Jasmine Crockett, Robert Garcia, Suhas Subramanyam, and Ro Khanna expressed frustration, and Chairman Comer said survivors had rejected offers of immunity or clemency and that the committee would not be swayed. (Sources: ABC News, CBS News, Politico.)
Maxwell’s background and custody status
Maxwell was convicted in 2021 on federal sex-trafficking charges tied to recruiting and grooming minors for Jeffrey Epstein and received a 20-year sentence. She is serving time at a minimum-security federal prison camp near Bryan, Texas. Maxwell had previously cooperated in a two-day Justice Department interview in 2025 and was transferred from a Florida facility to the Texas camp — a move some Democrats called special treatment. She initially resisted the congressional subpoena until the committee threatened contempt, prompting the virtual deposition. (Source: CBS News.)
Legal context: Fifth Amendment and clemency
Invoking the Fifth Amendment protects a witness from being compelled to testify against themselves. Maxwell’s lawyers cited her pending federal legal action as a reason to plead the Fifth in Congress. Separately, clemency — including pardons or commutations — is an executive power that only the president can grant. Markus’s statement framing clemency as the pathway to full cooperation underscores the political dimension of the committee’s inquiry. (Sources: CBS News, Politico.)
Epstein Files, records and transparency
The House probe has relied on Justice Department records released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed by Congress and signed by President Trump in November 2025. Those records provided greater detail on how investigations were handled and prompted subpoenas of multiple officials and associates as the committee seeks to establish a clear timeline of decisions and possible failures within federal agencies. (Source: CBS News.)
Implications for San Diego
Local impacts may include:
- Economic: Increased demand for local law firms and victim advocacy groups; potential civil suits tied to Epstein’s estate could involve San Diego attorneys.
- Political: Voters tracking national accountability issues may hold officials to account; elected leaders could face questions about oversight and victim protections.
- Social: Survivors’ groups and nonprofits may leverage attention to pursue funding, policy changes, forums and expanded counseling resources.
- Cultural: Universities, schools and faith groups might host discussions on consent, power dynamics and institutional responsibility.
- Practical: Expect local legal clinics and victim services to advertise expanded help; public records from the Epstein Files Transparency Act are available online for those seeking details.
Reporting and sources
This article draws on reporting and public records from:
