Boebert's Sarcastic Defense for Sharing Clinton Deposition Photo Sparks Outrage
Republican Representative Lauren Boebert provided an absurd and sarcastic explanation for distributing a photograph of Hillary Clinton during her closed-door deposition on Thursday, an action that may have breached House Oversight Committee regulations. The incident occurred as Clinton testified regarding her connections to convicted sex abuser Jeffrey Epstein, a topic she labeled a distraction from former President Donald Trump's own associations with the predator.
"I Admired Her Blue Suit"
In Chappaqua, New York, Boebert told reporters, "I really admired her, um, blue suit, so I wanted to capture that for everyone," in a remark widely interpreted as mocking. This followed her decision to send conservative YouTuber Benny Johnson a photo of Clinton testifying, despite strict committee rules prohibiting such disclosures from closed-door meetings. Johnson promptly posted the image on social media, captioning it, "Full Shot of the Clinton Epstein Testimony currently ongoing."
Clinton's Reaction and Committee Backlash
Hillary Clinton expressed frustration over the breach, stating, "We had a bit of a challenge in the beginning, because we agreed upon rules based on the fact it was going to be a closed hearing at their demand, and one of the members violated that rule, which was very upsetting." She also criticized the deposition's unusual turn, noting questions about UFOs and the debunked "Pizzagate" conspiracy theory, which she called "one of the most vile, bogus conspiracy theories that was propagated on the internet."
Ranking House Oversight Committee member Representative Robert Garcia, a Democrat from California, echoed these concerns, telling The Hill that "everybody was very taken aback by the committee rules being essentially not enforced and certainly just broken immediately." The deposition was temporarily paused following the photo's release, highlighting the disruption caused by Boebert's actions.
Defenses and Further Controversies
Benny Johnson defended his posting of the image, arguing that Clinton initially "wanted it to be done LIVE on TV," though no evidence supports this claim. Boebert backed Johnson, insisting he did nothing wrong and joking on X, "No U.S. Ambassadors were harmed in the taking of today's photo," a reference to the 2012 Benghazi attack that killed a U.S. ambassador and three Americans. When pressed by a reporter on why she sent the picture, Boebert flippantly responded, "Why not?"
In another provocative comment, Boebert told reporters she "just returned to my hotel room and installed the BleachBit software," alluding to the FBI investigation into Clinton's private email server during her tenure as secretary of state. BleachBit is a disk-cleaning software, and Clinton faced no criminal charges in the matter. Boebert added sarcastically, "So I guess in regards to taking photos, I do not recall," mimicking Clinton's past statements about the email controversy.
Broader Implications and Upcoming Testimony
This incident underscores ongoing political tensions and rule-breaking in congressional proceedings, raising questions about accountability and decorum. The deposition is part of a broader inquiry into Epstein's network, with former President Bill Clinton, who also socialized with Epstein, scheduled to testify on Friday. As the Oversight Committee grapples with enforcement of its protocols, this episode may prompt calls for stricter penalties against members who violate confidentiality agreements, potentially impacting future investigations and bipartisan cooperation.
