Oversight Holds Leon Black in Contempt Over Epstein
Oversight Holds Leon Black in Contempt Over Epstein
The News
Billionaire investor Leon Black is recommended for contempt of Congress after defying two subpoenas in the House Oversight Committee's Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
The committee voted 41-0 on Tuesday — a unanimous, bipartisan vote — to advance the contempt resolution.
Lawmakers wanted to question Black, the co-founder and former CEO of Apollo Global Management, about millions of dollars in payments he made to Epstein, and to obtain nondisclosure agreements the panel subpoenaed.
The Money
Black paid Epstein $158 million for tax and estate planning services between 2012 and 2017. He has denied any knowledge of Epstein's crimes and denied wrongdoing.
Timeline
Black pays Epstein $158 million for tax and estate planning work, the payments now at the center of the committee's questions.
Black does not appear for his scheduled deposition before the Oversight Committee. Instead, he sues the committee, arguing its subpoenas have no legitimate connection to a legislative purpose.
The committee votes 41-0 to recommend holding Black in contempt of Congress for defying subpoenas for both testimony and documents, including nondisclosure agreements involving women in Epstein's orbit.
Reactions
Lawyers for Black called the contempt resolution "a complete abomination," according to CNBC.
Black's attorneys argue in his lawsuit that the subpoenas are not tied to any valid legislative purpose and amount to an abuse of the committee's power. His attorneys have also filed a complaint with the Office of Congressional Conduct concerning Chairman James Comer's conduct.
The vote itself drew no dissent: Republicans and Democrats on the panel backed the resolution unanimously.
What's Next
The full House must now vote on whether to refer the contempt resolution to the U.S. Attorney's office. Speaker Mike Johnson's office had not responded to questions about floor scheduling as of Tuesday, and Congress is due to leave for recess after this week.
Any decision to actually charge Black rests with the Justice Department, not Congress.
Separately, the federal court in Washington, D.C., still has to rule on Black's lawsuit challenging the subpoenas.
More
A contempt referral is the committee's strongest tool against a witness who refuses to appear, but it is not a charge. It puts Black at risk of criminal prosecution only if the full House refers the matter and federal prosecutors choose to act on it.
Poll
Should the full House refer Leon Black to the Justice Department for prosecution?
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