Lutnick Testifies on Epstein Ties Amid Calls for Resignation

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick testified before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday regarding his past relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The closed-door deposition, part of an ongoing investigation into Epstein's connections, followed revelations that Lutnick continued correspondence with Epstein after the financier's 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

Democrats on the committee alleged that Lutnick lied during his testimony to protect the Trump administration. Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.) described Lutnick as evasive, nervous, and dishonest, calling for him to resign. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) suggested that if President Donald Trump had seen a video of the deposition, he would have fired Lutnick.

Lutnick testified that he couldn't recall why he and his family had lunch on Epstein's private island in 2012, despite having previously claimed to cut ties with Epstein years earlier. He acknowledged visiting Epstein's island with his family but denied any wrongdoing, stating that the visit lasted only two hours.

Republicans on the committee praised Lutnick's transparency. Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), the committee chair, said that if any misstatements were found, Lutnick would be held accountable for potentially lying to Congress. Emails released by the Justice Department showed that Lutnik invited Epstein to a 2015 fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

Meanwhile, an apparent suicide note written in 2019 by Jeffrey Epstein was released Wednesday after a U.S. district judge ordered its release at the request of The New York Times. The scrawled note appears to read: 'They investigated me for month — found nothing!!! So 15 year old charges resulted.' It also includes the phrases 'time to say goodbye' and 'No fun — not worth it!!'

Lutnick has maintained that his connection to Epstein was limited despite evidence showing they exchanged emails as late as 2018. Despite calls for Lutnick's resignation from some lawmakers, including Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), the White House has expressed full support for Lutnick.

During the hearing, Democrats accused Lutnick of redefining his statements to avoid admitting a closer relationship with Epstein. Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-Va.) criticized Lutnick's testimony, stating that he claimed he would never be in a room with Epstein alone but was willing to have his family in a room with him. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) described Lutnick's responses as 'contortions and lies' and suggested that President Trump would have fired Lutnick if he had seen the video transcript.

Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), the committee chair, initially stated that Lutnick's inconsistent narrative about whether he'd been on Epstein's infamous island 'wasn't 100% truthful.' However, after the hearing, Comer determined that Lutnick had committed no wrongdoing and praised his transparency. Comer also insisted that Lutnick would be held accountable for any misstatements made during the testimony.

James Marsh, an attorney representing some of Epstein's victims, stated that while Lutnick's hearing offers 'a step towards potential clarity,' it 'does not provide any real substance for identifying' alleged perpetrators of Epstein's network. He emphasized the need for accountability and justice for the survivors.