Read Bill Clinton’s opening statement in his testimony regarding Jeffrey Epstein

Former President Bill Clinton said in an opening statement to the House Oversight Committee that he saw no signs of abuse by Jeffrey Epstein.

Read the full statement by clicking on the document below.

Clinton told the committee that his “brief acquaintance with Jeffrey Epstein ended years before his crimes came to light.” That’s according to a printout of his opening statement as prepared and released by Clinton’s office.

He watches: Lawmakers speak ahead of Bill Clinton’s testimony about Jeffrey Epstein

“I didn’t see anything, and I didn’t do anything wrong,” Clinton says. “I didn’t see anything that made me stop.”

Clinton’s statements indicate that he is testifying “to offer what little I know to prevent something like this from happening again” and because “the girls and women whose lives were destroyed by Jeffrey Epstein deserve not only justice, but healing.”

Clinton rebukes Republicans for subpoenaing Hillary Clinton to testify

The former president says in his prepared opening remarks that his wife — a former secretary of state and first lady — should never have fallen for the committee.

Bill Clinton said in his statement: “Before we begin, I must speak personally.” “You made Hillary come. She had nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein. Nothing. She doesn’t even remember meeting him. She didn’t travel with him or visit any of his properties.”

He watches: Hillary Clinton speaks to reporters after a closed House hearing on Epstein

“Whether you call 10 people or 10,000, including her, that’s simply not true,” he continues.

He tells lawmakers that, just as he is committed to testifying under oath, “each and every one of you owes the American people nothing short of truth and accuracy.”

Clinton says he would have reported Epstein if he had known about the abuse

“As someone who grew up in a home with domestic violence, not only would I have flown on his plane if I had any idea what he was doing, I would have turned him in myself and led the call for justice for his crimes, not sweetheart deals,” Bill Clinton says in his prepared opening statement.

“We’re only here because he hid it from everyone so well for so long.”

Read former President Bill Clinton’s full opening statement below.

Clinton says lawmakers may hear “I don’t remember” from him more often

“That might be unsatisfactory,” the former president says of his plans to answer some questions by saying he doesn’t remember what happened. “But I won’t say anything I’m not sure about. That was all a long time ago.”

Read more: Bill and Hillary Clinton are preparing for another battle in Washington

Clinton adds that he is “bound by my oath not to speculate or speculate” — a standard that he says “is not only for my own good, but because it doesn’t help you play detective 24 years later.”

Elsewhere in his prepared opening remarks, Bill Clinton was more emphatic in his actions.

“I know what I saw and, more importantly, what I didn’t see,” he says. “I know what I did, and more importantly, what I didn’t do.”

Clinton uses his testimony about Epstein for civics advice — and to amend Republicans

“No one is above the law, not even presidents,” Clinton says in his prepared statement. He adds that he agreed to testify, “because I love my country.”

Initially, Bill and Hillary Clinton rejected the subpoenas, which they described as a partisan ploy by Republicans. They surrendered but demanded the opening of proceedings. Republicans refused.

Clinton intends to tell lawmakers that “the search for truth and justice is more important than the partisan desire to score points and create spectacle.”

He added that he would like to reduce political discourse.

“Democracy requires everyone to play their part, and I hope that by being what it is today, we can pull ourselves back from the brink a little bit and get back to being a country where we can disagree with each other civilly,” he says, adding: “I will do my part, and I hope you will do yours.”