Rep. Nancy Mace, a Republican from South Carolina, has indicated that Ghislaine Maxwell is poised to invoke her Fifth Amendment rights during her deposition hearing scheduled for next week. On social media platform X, Mace stated, “We’re hearing Ghislaine Maxwell is planning to plead the 5th at her deposition on Monday.” Her comments suggest a belief that Maxwell’s potential refusal to answer questions stems from a desire for self-preservation rather than a concern for self-incrimination.
Should Maxwell choose to plead the Fifth, she will decline to respond to inquiries to protect herself legally. In a correspondence to James Comer, Chairman of the House Oversight Committee, Maxwell’s attorney, David Oscar Markus, reaffirmed this stance, stating that Maxwell would invoke her privilege against self-incrimination if the deposition proceeds.
Maxwell is known for her association with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, who was charged with sex trafficking minors in 2019. Currently, she is serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in these offenses. In August 2025, Maxwell was transferred from a prison in Florida to another facility in Texas, a move conducted without notifying her victims.
Concerns Over Victim Privacy and Upcoming Testimonies
The recent release of millions of documents by the Department of Justice regarding Epstein has sparked significant public interest. The documents include communications and photographs featuring Epstein alongside other prominent individuals. Mace emphasized the importance of transparency, stating, “The American people deserve to know their names. They deserve to be investigated. And they should rot in jail.”
In light of the released documents, attorneys representing some of Epstein’s alleged victims have urged the DOJ to remove the Epstein files website. They argue that the disclosure of unredacted victim names constitutes a severe breach of privacy. An attorney for the victims noted, “That expectation was shattered on January 30, 2026, when DOJ committed what may be the single most egregious violation of victim privacy in one day in United States history.”
Following Maxwell’s deposition on Monday, former First Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is set to testify before the House Oversight Committee on February 26, 2026. Her husband, former President Bill Clinton, will follow suit, making history as the first former president to testify before Congress after being served a subpoena, scheduled for February 27, 2026.
Hillary Clinton has called on Chairman Comer to ensure that the hearings are conducted publicly. “You love to talk about transparency,” she remarked. “There’s nothing more transparent than a public hearing, cameras on. We will be there.”
With the situation evolving rapidly, the upcoming hearings are set to draw significant attention, reflecting ongoing concerns about accountability and transparency in high-profile cases involving powerful individuals.
