By Trendsetter Tribune 
CHAPPAQUA, NY — The high-stakes House Oversight Committee deposition of Hillary Clinton was abruptly halted on Thursday, February 26, 2026, following a protocol breach involving Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO). Within the first hour of the private session, the hearing went “off the record” after an unauthorized photograph of the former Secretary of State was leaked to conservative social media influencer Benny Johnson.
The incident highlights the intense partisan friction surrounding the committee’s investigation into the network of the late Jeffrey Epstein, as Democrats and Republicans battle for control over the public narrative of the closed-door proceedings.
The “Leak” and the Pause
The disruption occurred shortly after Johnson posted an image of Clinton giving testimony to his X (formerly Twitter) account. The post was captioned: “The first image of Hillary Clinton testifying under oath about Jeffery Epstein… Photo provided by Rep. Lauren Boebert.”
- Advisor’s Statement: Clinton advisor Nick Merrill briefed reporters outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, stating: “The hearing just went off the record for a moment because… there was a photograph shared on social media, which is against the rules read at the top of the meeting.”
- The “Rules” Dispute: Committee staff reportedly paused the deposition to determine how a sitting member of Congress managed to circumvent the “no unauthorized photography” rule established for the private session.
- Boebert’s Defense: Following the pause, Boebert posted a defiant response on social media: “Benny did nothing wrong. Proceeding with deposition.” She reportedly told reporters she took the photo before the formal deposition began and claimed it did not violate any “direct” prohibitions.
“Selective Release” vs. Public Demand
The photograph has reignited a debate over the transparency of the investigation. While the Republican-led committee insisted on a closed-door deposition, the Clintons and Oversight Democrats have consistently pushed for a public hearing.
| Stakeholder | Position on Transparency |
| Hillary Clinton | Requested a live, televised deposition. Released her opening statement on social media to ensure her words weren’t “selectively edited.” |
| GOP Oversight | Opted for private, filmed depositions to be released at a later date after legal review. |
| Oversight Democrats | Accused Republicans of “political theater” by demanding privacy while allegedly facilitating “live leaks” to friendly media influencers. |
Testimony Resumes: “Zero, Zip, Zilch”
Despite the interruption, the deposition resumed shortly before 2:00 p.m. In her opening statement, which was released publicly as the pause began, Clinton maintained her total lack of knowledge regarding Epstein’s crimes.
- On Epstein: “I had no idea about their criminal activities. I do not recall ever encountering Mr. Epstein.”
- On President Trump: Clinton used her testimony to challenge the committee to bring in the current President for questioning, noting that his name appears “tens of thousands of times” in the unredacted Epstein files recently released by the DOJ.
“If this committee is serious about learning the truth… it would not rely on press gaggles to get answers from our current president on his involvement; it would ask him directly under oath.” — Hillary Clinton, Feb 26, 2026
What’s Next?
- The Final Transcript: Oversight Democrats, led by Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA), are now demanding that the full, unedited transcript and video of today’s deposition be released within 24 hours to counter the “unauthorized” images shared by Boebert.
- Bill Clinton’s Deposition: The committee is scheduled to depose former President Bill Clinton tomorrow, Friday, February 27. Security and protocol at the Chappaqua venue are expected to be significantly tightened following today’s breach.