Former President Bill Clinton told House investigators that he was unaware of a sexually explicit email from Ghislaine Maxwell at the time it was sent. This came out during his closed-door deposition on Jeffrey Epstein, where lawyers and staffers read the message aloud.
The email, which was introduced as evidence, included the line where Maxwell claimed that Clinton was “hung like a horse,” according to a transcript of the deposition.
When asked if he recognized the email at the time it was sent, Clinton replied, “Oh, no.” When further questioned about any later familiarity with the email, he acknowledged it and added, “It’s now famous.”
This exchange occurred as investigators examined the email account that received the message and how Clinton’s aides, including Doug Band, used it. During the deposition, questioners cited a 2001 message in which Band told Maxwell that another way to reach him quickly was through his BlackBerry, adding, “Actually the president’s, but we share it.”
Committee staff inquired whether the “WJC” email address shown on the exhibit belonged to him. Clinton replied, “Practically, no. I never sent one email on it.”
Clinton recognized the address and suggested it served more as a staff account than one he personally used. He said, “I recognize it. And I think Doug thought it would increase his cache if he had an email with WJC on it,” according to the transcript.
Investigators also asked Clinton if he shared a BlackBerry with Band during the early post-presidency period mentioned in the email. Clinton could not recall that arrangement but stressed that he did not use email, stating, “I just know that I did not email.”
The email containing the “hung like a horse” line appeared in records related to the Epstein investigation and the committee’s inquiry into how federal authorities managed the case. Clinton’s deposition, conducted by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, addressed his past encounters with Epstein and Maxwell as well as his memory of travel and meetings related to Epstein’s network, based on reporting about his testimony.
Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate, is currently serving a 20-year federal prison sentence after being convicted in 2021 for helping recruit and groom girls for Epstein to abuse. Epstein died in a Manhattan jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges.
During the deposition, investigators asked Clinton about Band’s relationship with Maxwell and what he knew of their interactions at the time. Clinton indicated that Band communicated with Maxwell due to her representing Epstein on matters involving the Clinton Foundation but noted he did not know whether they had a personal relationship. He said, “I did not know, nor did I need to know that they had a personal relationship for a while.”
When asked if he believed Band and Maxwell had a physical relationship, Clinton replied, “I don’t know for sure.” When directly asked if he had a physical relationship with Maxwell, Clinton denied it, stating, “I did not,” and then, “absolutely.”
The raunchy email has received widespread attention since the committee released documents related to the deposition. Clinton’s brief responses and the debate over the “WJC” account have sparked renewed focus on how aides managed communications with Epstein and Maxwell.
