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1 Hillary Clinton Tells House Oversight Committee She Never Met Epstein
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sat for a closed-door deposition yesterday with the House Oversight Committee in Chappaqua, New York, telling lawmakers she had no knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell's criminal activities. In her opening statement, Clinton said she never flew on Epstein's plane, never visited his island or homes, and does not recall ever meeting him. Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer said no wrongdoing is being alleged at this time, but that the panel has questions about how Epstein amassed his wealth and whether he was a government asset. The deposition was briefly paused after right-wing commentator Benny Johnson posted a photo from inside the room, allegedly shared by Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert, which appeared to violate House rules. Former President Bill Clinton is set to testify today, and Comer said he plans to release the full transcript and video once reviewed.
2 At Least One US Citizen Killed In Cuba Boat Incident
Cuba is vowing to defend itself after its military killed four men and captured six others aboard a Florida-registered boat that entered Cuban waters. At least one U.S. citizen was killed and another was injured in the incident, according to U.S. officials. Cuba says the men were armed and opened fire first, calling it a "foiled armed infiltration," and several of the men on board were known opponents of the Cuban government, and at least some were affiliated with a paramilitary group opposed to the regime. The stolen boat's suspected thief was among those identified as killed. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. will conduct its own investigation before responding.
3 Federal Judge Refuses To Block White House Ballroom Construction
A federal judge has turned down a request to halt construction of the $400 million ballroom being built where the White House East Wing once stood. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ruled that the National Trust for Historic Preservation was unlikely to succeed on the merits of its case and suggested the group refile with stronger legal arguments. The preservationists wanted the project paused until it received congressional approval and underwent independent reviews. The White House says private donations, including from President Trump himself, are funding the 90,000-square-foot ballroom, which is designed to hold 999 people. Trump falsely claimed afterward that a judge had thrown out the lawsuit entirely.