Leaked Photo From Hillary Clinton Deposition Halts Proceedings

Clinton speaking in 2022.

The Hillary Clinton deposition was halted yesterday after a photograph was leaked from the House Oversight Committee and posted online.

The Clinton team asked for proceedings to be paused after the leaked picture broke strict rules that prohibits any photography inside a closed-door congressional testimony.

CBS News reports that the photo was taken by Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado and sent to political commentator Benny Johnson who shared it on X.

“We had a bit of a challenge in the beginning because we had agreed upon rules based on the fact that it was going to be a closed hearing at their demand,” Clinton said afterward. “And one of the members violated that rule, which was very upsetting because it suggested that they might violate other of our agreements.”

Boebert was later recorded by the media walking out of the hearing while being asked by reporters why she sent the photo. The congresswoman sarcastically replied that she “really admired her blue suit and I wanted to capture that for everyone.” When pressed again why she took the photo, she replied: “Why not?”

Clinton had requested to testify publicly but the Oversight Committee denied her. Democrat lawmakers involved in the deposition want the unedited transcript released within 24 hours — but that’s unlikely to happen.

Photography and Congressional Committee Hearings

While photographs are generally allowed during open committee hearings (although each one establishes its own rule governing photo coverage), closed hearings such as Clinton’s yesterday are, as the name suggests, photo-free zones.

In 2019, Reuters photojournalist Joshua Roberts was escorted out of President Trump’s impeachment hearings after a Republican member of the House Judiciary Committee noticed him taking photos of the papers on one of the Democratic members’ desks at the dais. Reuters said its photographer did nothing wrong.

In 2017, a photographer accused Texas Republican Louie Gohmert of purposely blocking his lens and stopping him from capturing protesters being removed during a Senate Judiciary Meeting. The photographer, Jim Lo Scalzo of the European Pressphoto Agency, argued with Lo Scalzo over what rights a photographer has in a congressional hearing; Gohmert accused Lo Scalzo of violating press pool rules by standing up.

Clinton was summoned to Congress so that Republican lawmakers could question the former Secretary of State on what she does or doesn’t know about Jeffrey Epstein and her ties to the convicted sex trafficker.

Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.