ILLINOIS MEDICAL DISTRICT (WBBM Newsradio) -- A statement by former President Bill Clinton during his testimony about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein has Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker answering questions about the scandal.
The former President was answering questions during a recorded deposition when he made a reference to the Illinois governor, making it sound as though Pritzker and his wife M.K. accompanied him on a flight aboard an Epstein-owned plane.
But during an appearance Tuesday morning with Cook County Health leaders, the governor told reporters he'd never met Jeffrey Epstein, never met Epstein's companion Ghislane Maxwell and never traveled on a plane with either of them.
"The president was clearly mistaken, and he corrected the mistake, to his credit," the governor said at Cook County Health, 1950 W. Polk St.
Gov. Pritzker confirmed he'd made a number of trips with the Clintons on behalf of the Clinton Global Foundation to Africa, but never on a plane owned by Epstein.
"I'd never even heard of Jeffrey Epstein until the scandal that broke out," the governor said.
He also described the controversy as an attempt at distraction by Republicans.
"'Look over here, look over here,' don't look at the leader of their party, the leader of this country, who is a Republican, Donald Trump, who is somebody that clearly needs to be investigated," the governor said, calling on Congress to compel President Trump to testify about his relationship with Epstein.