Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted associate of Jeffrey Epstein, refused to answer questions from the US House Oversight Committee on Monday, invoking her Fifth Amendment right to remain silent during a closed-door deposition. This occurred as survivors of Epstein's crimes called for the full release of files related to the late sex offender, and as other news unfolded regarding international relations and legal proceedings in other parts of the world.
Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking, appeared virtually from a Texas prison for the congressional hearing. Republican House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer expressed disappointment, stating, "as expected", Maxwell pleaded the Fifth Amendment. According to BBC World, Comer added that the committee had "many questions to ask about the crimes she and Epstein committed."
Simultaneously, survivors of Epstein's crimes are demanding greater transparency. In a 40-second video released by the World Without Exploitation group, survivors held up photographs of their younger selves and declared, "we all deserve the truth." The US Department of Justice (DOJ) was legally obligated to make all files public by December of last year, but only some have been released, with many redacted. The DOJ has stated that the unreleased files are either unrelated, duplicates, or withheld for deliberative reasons, according to BBC World.
In other news, the United Nations is seeking clarity from the United States regarding unpaid budget dues. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Monday that while US ambassador Mike Waltz indicated payments would begin within weeks, no further details had been provided. This comes as declining US engagement puts the international organization under growing strain, according to Al Jazeera.
Elsewhere, protests erupted in Australia during the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Police reportedly used pepper spray and tear gas on thousands of protesters in Sydney. Mr. Herzog was invited by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese following a shooting at a Hanukkah event in Sydney in December, which resulted in at least 15 fatalities, according to Sky News.
In a separate legal matter, Brenton Tarrant, the white supremacist who murdered 51 Muslim worshippers in New Zealand in 2019, attempted to overturn his guilty plea, claiming his mental health was compromised by prison conditions. Tarrant, appearing in court via video link, described the prison conditions as "torturous and inhumane," according to Sky News.
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