The House Oversight Committee moved to recommend holding Epstein link Leon Black in contempt of Congress in a 41-0 vote. The contempt resolution now heads to the House for a vote on whether to recommend the issue to the Justice Department.
Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) said in his opening remarks that Black is “legally required to appear for a deposition before the Oversight Committee and required to turn over all non-disclosure agreements to which he was a party,” although he did neither. Instead, Black is “hiding behind litigation to delay having to provide answers to the American people.”
“Mr. Black’s testimony is crucial to our investigation because he maintained a close personal relationship with Epstein for years during the time when Epstein was engaged in sex trafficking,” Comer added. “Mr. Black and Epstein also had a significant financial relationship. He funded Epstein’s lavish lifestyle for years, enabling Epstein to continue his horrific crimes.”
Black filed a lawsuit against the Committee earlier this month. Black’s attorney, Susan Estrich, accused the House Oversight Committee of being “on a fishing expedition that oversteps its authority and completely ignores its responsibility.”
“This is no longer about finding the truth about Epstein. It is about trying to destroy Mr. Black,” Estrich said. We were left with no choice but to file this lawsuit in response to an abuse of Congressional power.”
The lawsuit, viewed by Politico, argues that the subpoenas for nondisclosure agreement details overstep the Committee’s “delegated authority in seeking private information that bears no legitimate connection to [the committee’s] legislative purpose.”
