Lutnick Will Appear Before A House Panel To Answer For His Changing Story On Epstein

WASHINGTON — Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is appearing Wednesday earlier a House committee investigating activity offender Jeffrey Epstein arsenic lawmakers activity answers for Lutnick’s interaction pinch him successful nan years aft Epstein’s 2008 condemnation for soliciting adultery from an underage girl.

Lutnick, a personnel of President Trump’s Cabinet, is nan latest powerful governmental fig to look earlier nan House Oversight Committee. He has antecedently fixed contradictory statements astir his narration pinch Epstein, but he says he has done thing incorrect and welcomes nan closed-door question and reply pinch lawmakers.

Still, nan transcribed question and reply presented a trial of really overmuch scrutiny lawmakers will use to powerful men who kept institution pinch Epstein moreover aft it was known that he had solicited adultery from an underage girl. Trump’s Republican management has tried unsuccessfully for much than a twelvemonth to move past nan issue.

Lutnick is nan highest-ranked charismatic successful nan Trump administration, too Trump himself, to beryllium named successful nan lawsuit files connected Epstein. Trump has consistently denied immoderate knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and has said he ended their narration years ago.

Several Democrats person called for Lutnick to resign, and a fewer Republicans, including Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, person said he should astatine slightest attest earlier nan Oversight panel.

Lutnick has downplayed his ties to Epstein, who was erstwhile his neighbour successful New York City. Under questioning from Democrats during an unrelated proceeding earlier this year, he described their interaction arsenic a fistful of emails and a brace of meetings successful 2011 and 2012.

But that admittance came aft he had antecedently claimed connected a podcast past twelvemonth that he had decided to “never beryllium successful nan room” pinch Epstein pursuing a 2005 circuit of Epstein’s location that disturbed Lutnick and his wife.

In 2008, Epstein pleaded blameworthy to authorities activity discourtesy charges successful Florida, including soliciting adultery from an underage girl.

“I did not person immoderate narration pinch him. I hardly had thing to do pinch him,” Lutnick told senators successful February erstwhile he was asked astir Epstein during a subcommittee proceeding of nan Senate Appropriations Committee.

But Lutnick, who was antecedently nan caput of brokerage and finance slope Cantor Fitzgerald, really had an hourlong engagement astatine Epstein’s location successful 2011. His family past visited Epstein’s infamous backstage land successful 2012 for lunch.

The national merchandise of lawsuit files connected Epstein besides showed that nan 2 had kept successful interaction done email. Lutnick successful 2018 emailed Epstein astir a projected description of a depository successful their vicinity that would person blocked nan position from their homes. Epstein besides gave $50,000 to a 2017 meal honoring Lutnick, while Lutnick invited Epstein to a 2015 fundraiser for Hillary Clinton. In 2013, they some invested successful nan aforesaid business venture.

The White House has continued to definitive support for Lutnick, who was 1 of nan biggest boosters of Trump’s sweeping tariffs strategy. He has been adjacent to Trump for years and helped fundraise for his 2020 and 2024 campaigns.

The House Oversight Committee is besides scheduled to perceive grounds connected May 29 from Pam Bondi, who was pushed retired from her occupation arsenic lawyer wide past month.

Epstein died successful a New York jailhouse compartment successful 2019 while awaiting proceedings connected activity trafficking charges.

Groves writes for nan Associated Press.