Howard Lutnick, Donald Trump’s Commerce Secretary, has agreed to voluntarily appear before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee as part of its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal network, the committee’s chairman announced Tuesday.
James Comer, the Kentucky Republican who chairs the panel, said Lutnick had “proactively” agreed to the transcribed interview.
“I commend your demonstrated commitment to transparency and appreciate your willingness to collaborate with the Committee,” Comer said in a statement.
Lutnick has acknowledged visiting Epstein’s private island in 2012 with members of his family, a trip that contradicted his previous claim that he had severed ties with Epstein in 2005. Last week, the Justice Department briefly removed and then restored an undated photo of Lutnick and Epstein in an island setting. CBS News reported earlier this month that Lutnick and Epstein were doing business together in 2014.
The announcement came just days after committee Democrats publicly threatened to subpoena Lutnick if he refused to cooperate. Rep. Ro Khanna of California told reporters Friday that the votes were there to force him to testify.
“I think we’ll have the votes to cite him,” Khanna said.
Republican Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina also called for Lutnick’s appearance last week.
The Commerce Secretary’s connections to Epstein came to light again during Hillary Clinton’s deposition, in which Mace pressed the former Secretary of State about her own relationship with Lutnick. Clinton forcefully explained that she had worked alongside Lutnick immediately after the attacks of September 11, 2001, when his company, Cantor Fitzgerald, lost more than 650 employees, including her brother.
Lutnick has not been charged with any crime in connection with Epstein’s crimes.
