Estrich, Cutler call contempt resolution ‘politically motivated’
Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse on Wednesday called on the House Oversight Committee to seek testimony from Epstein’s former attorney Alan Dershowitz and Attorney General Todd Blanche, who oversaw the release of the Epstein files. The demand came the same day the House held billionaire investor Leon Black in contempt of Congress for defying two congressional subpoenas — the first time lawmakers used the contempt power against a witness in the committee’s investigation.
A number of survivors of Epstein’s abuse signed onto a statement commending Comer for the contempt vote. “By moving to hold Leon Black in contempt, Chairman Comer is sending a clear message that wealth and influence do not put anyone beyond the reach of congressional oversight,” the survivors said. The survivors are also pushing for the committee to hear from Dershowitz and Blanche.
The House voted to hold Black in contempt after the Republican-led Oversight Committee subpoenaed him to return for a deposition under oath and to turn over any nondisclosure agreements he had signed — including any agreements with survivors of Epstein’s abuse. Black had appeared for a closed-door, voluntary interview in June but walked out before it ended, declining to answer questions about the nondisclosure agreements, lawmakers said.
Rather than comply, Black filed a lawsuit against the committee and its chairman, Rep. James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, accusing them of overstepping their authority. Addressing the committee on Tuesday, Comer said Black “defied Congress.” “Mr. Black is hiding behind litigation to delay having to provide answers to the American people,” Comer said. “No one is above the law.”
Black’s lawyers, Susan Estrich and Aaron Cutler, called the resolution Wednesday “politically motivated and completely retaliatory.” They said Black cooperated with the committee by appearing for the initial transcribed interview. “This [is] an outrageous action that ignores the facts and the truth about Mr. Black,” they said in a joint statement.
The resolution will now be sent to the Department of Justice, which will decide whether to prosecute Black. Prosecuting individuals held in contempt of Congress is rare but has happened before. During the Biden administration, two former Trump advisers — Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro — each served four months in prison after failing to cooperate with the Democrats’ investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Earlier this year, in January, the committee voted to recommend contempt charges against former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The Clintons initially fought calls to testify before the committee, saying they knew very little about Epstein and had already shared everything they knew. That contempt vote never went to the House floor because the Clintons eventually relented and appeared for recorded depositions.
Black is the co-founder of the private equity firm Apollo Global Management. His name appears in the Justice Department’s Epstein files thousands of times; appearing in the files is not necessarily an indication of criminal wrongdoing. Between 2013 and 2017, Black paid Epstein millions of dollars — a period that followed Epstein’s initial conviction in 2008, when he pleaded guilty to prostitution charges involving a minor under the age of 18.
During his June appearance before the committee, Black delivered a lengthy written statement explaining that he paid Epstein over $100 million for tax and estate planning services. Epstein’s tax work saved Black “billions of dollars,” he told committee members. Black stepped down from the top job at Apollo in 2021 after the payments became public. He has denied any wrongdoing associated with his relationship with Epstein.
The committee’s investigation is moving into its second year, with 19 people having appeared before the panel. In addition to Bill and Hillary Clinton, members have spoken with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Bill Gates, former Attorney General Pam Bondi, Epstein’s former accountant Richard Kahn, and former attorney Darren Indyke.
On Wednesday, Comer introduced a bill that would allow survivors to share their sexual abuse stories even if they signed a nondisclosure agreement. Just before the contempt resolution passed, California Rep. Robert Garcia, the lead Democrat on the committee, said the investigation was just beginning. “What I just want folks to know is this is an important step towards justice, but there is just an enormous amount of work to be done,” Garcia said.