Lawmakers Vote to Hold Epstein Ally Leon Black in Contempt of Congress
Bipartisan vote follows billionaire's refusal to comply with congressional subpoena over ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers has voted to hold Leon Black, a co-founder of Apollo Global Management and an associate of convicted financier Jeffrey Epstein, in contempt of Congress. The vote comes after Black failed to comply with a congressional subpoena.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, stated that despite repeated attempts to secure Black's testimony, the billionaire refused to appear. "We've tried every way in the world to get him in...and he refused to show," Comer told reporters. He added that Black would be treated similarly to others who have defied lawful congressional subpoenas.
Black had previously sat for a voluntary interview in the spring but declined to answer questions regarding nondisclosure agreements connected to Epstein. He subsequently missed a deposition scheduled for July 16 and a rescheduled appearance on September 3, instead filing a lawsuit against the committee, which he contended had exceeded its authority.
The committee's top Democrat, Robert Garcia, urged President Donald Trump's Attorney General Todd Blanche to pursue a criminal conviction against Black. If the full House approves the contempt vote, the matter will be referred to the U.S. Attorney's office in Washington, D.C.
Epstein, who died in 2019, was a financier convicted of sex trafficking charges. The committee has investigated financial dealings between Epstein and associates, with Black's name appearing more than 300 times in the Epstein Files. Democrats on the committee have alleged that funds Black paid to Epstein, totaling over $150 million for tax and estate planning and more than $180 million in total, were used in the trafficking of women and children. It is important to note that inclusion in the Epstein files does not signify wrongdoing, and Black has not been charged in connection with any of Epstein's alleged crimes.
In January, House Oversight Republicans advanced contempt resolutions against Bill and Hillary Clinton for missing Epstein-related depositions. However, both Clintons later complied with demands for transcribed and filmed depositions in late February, and neither has faced charges.