Lutnick Agrees To Testify About Epstein Relationship Before Oversight Committee as Comer Widens List of New Witnesses

Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick will testify before the House Oversight Committee about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, the panel’s chairman said Tuesday. Beyond Mr. Lutnick’s testimony, the committee is also seeking interviews with other Epstein associates, including Bill Gates and President Obama’s former White House Counsel, Kathryn Ruemmler. The announcements on Tuesday are a fulfillment of Congressman James Comer’s promise to seek more information from individuals on both sides of the aisle. After the depositions of President Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last week, he said they would move on to a new batch of witnesses once he had heard from the Clintons. Mr. Lutnick, a longtime friend of President Trump, lived next to Epstein for years in Manhattan. They corresponded via email, did business together, and Mr. Lutnick once visited Epstein’s island after he had served his prison sentence. In an interview with the New York Post last year, Mr. Lutnick said he stopped speaking to Epstein in 2005. He admitted earlier this year during testimony before a Senate committee, however, that he did have lunch with Epstein along with his family on Epstein’s island in the Caribbean in 2012. On Tuesday, Mr. Comer, announced that Mr. Lutnick had voluntarily agreed to testify after Democrats and Republicans called on the commerce secretary to appear.“Secretary Lutnick has proactively agreed to appear voluntarily before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. I commend his demonstrated commitment to transparency and appreciate his willingness to engage with the Committee. I look forward to his testimony,” Mr. Comer said in a statement. The chairman did not announce a date for the testimony. A spokeswoman for the committee did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Hours later, Mr. Comer said he was seeking testimony from seven other individuals who had relationships with Epstein. Mr. Gates, whose friendship with Epstein was one factor in his divorce, received a letter from Mr. Comer on Tuesday. “Due to public reporting, documents released by the Department of Justice, and documents obtained by the Committee, the Committee believes you have information that will assist in its investigation,” the letter to Mr. Gates says. Similar messages were sent to Ms. Ruemmler, who served as White House counsel from 2011 to 2014 under Mr. Obama. She recently left her position as the top legal advisor for Goldman Sachs due to newly released emails which gave more insight into her relationship with Epstein. After leaving the White House in 2014, she met Epstein and became a friend, sending emails that referred to “wonderful Jeffrey” and as a “sweetie.” According to documents, Epstein gave Ms. Ruemmler a number of gifts, including a watch and a designer bag. Other individuals who have been summoned include investment banker Doug Band, private equity titan Leon Black, Epstein’s assistant Lesley Groff, alleged Epstein co-conspirator Sarah Kellen, and tech executive Ted Waitt. Mr. Lutnick’s decision to testify before the committee follows weeks of mounting pressure from lawmakers. After the Clinton depositions last week, Congresswoman Nancy Mace began pushing for Mr. Lutnick to appear. “Howard Lutnick should take questions from the Oversight committee,” Ms. Mace wrote on X after a photo of Mr. Lutnick and his family on Epstein’s island was released. He agreed to appear one day before Ms. Mace had planned to make a motion to subpoena him for testimony.

Lutnick Agrees To Testify About Epstein Relationship Before Oversight Committee as Comer Widens List of New Witnesses

Lutnick Agrees To Testify About Epstein Relationship Before Oversight Committee as Comer Widens List of New Witnesses

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