Congressman Confronted On Bill Gates’ Secret Epstein Deposition
Bill Gates testified behind closed doors before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee about his past ties to Jeffrey Epstein, a decision that drew criticism from lawmakers who said the public deserved to…
Bill Gates testified behind closed doors before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee about his past ties to Jeffrey Epstein, a decision that drew criticism from lawmakers who said the public deserved to hear the testimony directly.
The deposition came as the committee continued reviewing more than 3 million Epstein-related files released by the Department of Justice. Those documents included references to Gates’ past relationship with Epstein, as well as emails that raised new questions about the nature of their association.
A spokesperson for the Oversight Committee defended the closed-door format, telling the Daily Caller News Foundation that depositions and transcribed interviews allow investigators to conduct longer, more detailed questioning.
“The Committee is conducting a thorough investigation of the federal government’s handling of the Epstein and Maxwell cases. Depositions and transcribed interviews provide the committee with more in-depth, sustained questioning in order to gather the facts,” the spokesperson said.
The committee also said Gates’ interview was the 15th conducted as part of the investigation and that full transcripts are released publicly after each interview.
Still, the private format stood out because several of Epstein’s alleged victims had testified publicly before the House Oversight Committee on May 13. Sarah Kellen, a former personal assistant to Epstein, also testified privately before the committee on May 22.
Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., said he believes the testimony should have been public. Speaking to the DCNF, Burchett said both Republicans and Democrats had generally agreed that the hearings should be open.
“I’m about transparency, I always say let it be wide open,” Burchett said.
When asked why Gates’ testimony was not public, Burchett said the decision was “above my pay grade.” He also compared the situation to the committee’s dealings with the Clintons, saying he believed they also insisted on private testimony.