Former President Bill Clinton invoked experiences from his childhood in an opening statement submitted to the House Oversight Committee on Friday, ahead of his deposition in the investigation into the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Clinton recounted growing up in a household marked by domestic abuse, primarily due to his stepfather, Roger Clinton Sr., who struggled with alcoholism and occasionally exhibited violent behavior toward Clinton’s mother, Virginia, and the family.

“As someone who grew up in a home with domestic abuse, not only would I not have flown on his plane if I had any inkling of what he was doing, I would have turned him in myself and led the call for justice for his crimes, not sweetheart deals,” Clinton wrote in the statement, which was later posted on X. He emphasized that his early life shaped him into a person more conflict-averse, empathetic to victims, and skilled at reconciliation.

Clinton maintained that he “saw nothing and did nothing wrong,” noting that Epstein’s alleged crimes remained hidden for years. He said that by the time Epstein’s guilty plea became public, he had already ceased associating with the convicted sex offender. Records indicate Clinton maintained a well-documented relationship with Epstein from the 1990s until roughly 2003. Epstein visited the White House during Clinton’s presidency, and the former president took several flights on Epstein’s private jet; photographs later surfaced showing them together.

Clinton outlined two reasons for his deposition: a commitment to the principle that no one, including presidents, is above the law, and a desire to support justice and healing for Epstein’s alleged victims. He stated he hoped that sharing what he knows might help prevent similar abuses in the future.

The deposition followed a bipartisan amendment in January holding the Clintons in contempt of Congress for previous refusals to comply with subpoenas. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testified the day before, asserting she did not know about Epstein’s activities and denying ever visiting his island, homes, or offices. Bill Clinton has likewise denied ever going to Epstein’s private island.