During a closed-door House Oversight Committee hearing, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick confirmed visiting convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s island for "inexplicable" reasons, seven years after he claimed to have cut ties with the now deceased sex criminal.
Secretary Lutnick testified in front of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee as part of the panel’s ongoing probe into Epstein’s crimes and his circle of influence. In the hearing, Lutnick faced questions about his relationship with the deceased sex trafficker and about Lutnick’s prior statements about their history.
Comments from Oversight Committee
“Howard Lutnick was sweating through the most basic questions. That must be why Chairman Comer and Lutnick didn’t want the interview on video. It was a bad look,” Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-Va.) wrote on X following the testimony. “Pressed on why he lied about going to Epstein’s island, Lutnick couldn’t give a straight answer and tried to redefine the meaning of ‘I.’”
According to Politico, Lutnick appeared for a transcribed interview, meaning that he did not have to take an oath of honesty, and the proceedings were not recorded like in a typical deposition.
Regardless of the fact, House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) advised, “If we find that there were any misstatements by Lutnick, it’s a felony to lie to Congress, and you’ll be held accountable.”
Revelations of Lutnick's Relationship With Epstein
Prior to the release of the Epstein files, over 3.5 million documents related to the sex criminal, Lutnick affirmed that he cut contact with Epstein in 2005, three years before Epstein entered a guilty plea to state prostitution charges in Florida.
Following the release of the files, records show that Epstein and Lutnick were in business as early as 2014, working on a joint venture for an advertising company called Adfin.
The files also reveal that in 2012, Lutnick and his family – including his children – visited Epstein’s island, with photo evidence showing both Epstein and Lutnick among a group of men.
