Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year federal prison sentence, is facing criticism after refusing to testify before a US House Oversight Committee, a move some lawmakers believe was aimed at seeking leniency from Donald Trump.
During a closed-door hearing focused on Jeffrey Epstein’s sex-trafficking network, Maxwell invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and declined to answer questions about her role and Epstein’s associates. Her attorney later claimed that Maxwell is willing to cooperate fully with investigators—but only if she is granted presidential clemency.
Maxwell’s lawyer, David Oscar Markus, said she is prepared to speak “fully and honestly” about Epstein and his operations in exchange for clemency from President Trump. He asserted that her testimony would demonstrate that neither Donald Trump nor former President Bill Clinton engaged in any wrongdoing related to Epstein. Both men have denied any involvement, and neither has been charged in connection with Epstein’s crimes.
Democratic Representative Melanie Stansbury, who attended the hearing, said Maxwell’s silence appeared strategic. She suggested that Maxwell was deliberately signaling that her cooperation could be exchanged for clemency. According to Stansbury, it was “very clear” that Maxwell used the hearing as an opportunity to push for a reduced sentence rather than to assist lawmakers.
Under US law, a president has the authority to issue pardons or commute federal sentences, though such actions are entirely discretionary. Maxwell’s legal team emphasized that she alone could provide a complete account of Epstein’s activities, arguing that the public deserves to hear her explanation.
The House Oversight Committee is investigating how Epstein was able to abuse underage girls for years and whether others helped facilitate his crimes. Lawmakers had hoped Maxwell would provide insight into Epstein’s network and the people who enabled his trafficking operation.
Maxwell appeared at the hearing via video link from federal prison. She was convicted in New York in 2021 of helping Epstein recruit, groom, and abuse underage girls and was later sentenced to 20 years behind bars.
Epstein was arrested in 2019 on federal sex-trafficking charges but died in a Manhattan jail while awaiting trial. His death was officially ruled a suicide.
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