Hillary Clinton accuses Republicans of ‘fishing expedition’ in Epstein testimony | First Thing

The Guardian World

by Jem Bartholomew

February 27, 2026

Former secretary of state says hearing is an attempt to deflect attention from Trump. Plus, the textile artist weaving patterns to inspire the labor movement • Don’t already get First Thing in your inbox? Sign up here Good morning. Hillary Clinton rebuked a congressional committee investigating her supposed links to Jeffrey Epstein on Thursday, accusing its Republican members of embarking on a “fishing expedition” intended to “distract attention from President Trump’s actions”. How did we get here? The Clintons reluctantly agreed to appear in response to a subpoena from the committee’s Republican chair, James Comer, after being threatened with contempt of Congress charges. Both Clintons have previously complained that they are being singled out unfairly to distract public attention from Trump, who had a long friendship with Epstein before breaking with him. What happens next? Bill Clinton, a former president, will testify later today, also in a closed-door session. What stage are the bills at? None have been signed into law, and they may face legal challenges. The bills, nonetheless, underscore the determination by Democratic state lawmakers in New Jersey, California, Maryland and Washington state, to undermine Trump’s hardline immigration policy. How did immigration enforcement get so many resources? The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, approved by the Republicans along party lines in Congress, allocated nearly $30bn to hire and train new ICE agents. The agency embarked on a hiring spree that often used xenophobic slogans in recruitment ads, as well as incentives such as signing bonuses as high as $50,000. Continue reading...

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Originally published on The Guardian World on 2/27/2026