A closed-door congressional deposition tied to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation ground to a halt Thursday after a right-wing influencer posted a photo of Hillary Clinton testifying — an image he said was provided by Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert.

The leak immediately triggered confusion, anger and accusations that House rules had been violated.

MAGA influencer Benny Johnson posted the photo to X, describing it as “The first image of Hillary Clinton testifying under oath about Jeffrey Epstein to the Republican Oversight Committee.” The photo showed a stern-looking Clinton seated during the private deposition in Chappaqua, New York.

Johnson claimed the image was given to him by Boebert and that he had permission to post it “with credit.” He added commentary suggesting Clinton was unhappy to be answering questions about Epstein.

The problem: the deposition was closed-door.

Clinton adviser Nick Merrill said proceedings were paused “while they figure out where the photo came from and why possibly members of Congress are violating House rules.” Though the deposition is being recorded and will eventually be released after legal review, live images and updates from inside the room are not permitted.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer had requested the deposition be conducted privately, despite the Clintons’ preference for a public hearing.

In a post of her own, Boebert defended Johnson.

“Benny did nothing wrong,” she wrote. “Proceeding with deposition.”

She did not explicitly confirm she provided the photo, but Johnson’s claim placed her squarely at the center of the controversy.

Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the top Democrat on the committee, called the situation “unacceptable.”

“Republicans [are] breaking their own committee rules that they established with the secretary and her team,” Garcia told reporters. He added that it was “gracious of the secretary and her team to continue the deposition.”

The episode has left many asking an obvious question: what was Boebert thinking?

Closed-door depositions exist for a reason — to preserve the integrity of testimony, prevent grandstanding and ensure fairness before transcripts are released. Posting a live image to social media during proceedings risks undermining that process.

Clinton, who has not been accused of any crimes in connection with Epstein, used her opening statement to distance herself from the disgraced financier.

“I do not recall ever encountering Mr. Epstein. I never flew on his plane or visited his island, homes or offices,” she said in a statement posted to her social media accounts.

She also accused lawmakers of treating the matter like a spectacle rather than a serious investigation.

“If you are new to this issue, let me tell you: Jeffrey Epstein was a heinous individual, but he’s far from alone,” Clinton said. “This is not a one-off tabloid sensation or a political scandal. It’s a global scourge with an unimaginable human toll.”

Republican Rep. Nancy Mace pressed Clinton during questioning about her husband’s past associations. Meanwhile, Clinton used part of her statement to call for President Donald Trump to be questioned under oath regarding references to him in the Epstein files. Trump has not been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.

Yet instead of the substance of the testimony dominating headlines, the focus quickly shifted to a photo — and to Boebert’s role in its release.

In a high-profile investigation already charged with political tension, the decision to circulate a closed-door image handed Democrats an easy talking point and forced Republicans onto the defensive.