Business Meeting on Contempt of Congress for Leon David Black over Subpoenas

Resolution recommending that the House of Representatives find Leon D. Black in contempt of Congress for refusal to comply with duly issued subpoenas issued by the committee. The clerk will report the report, which has been distributed in advance.

A report containing a House resolution recommending that the House of Representatives find Leon D. Black in contempt of Congress for refusal to comply with duly issued subpoenas, issued by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

I ask unanimous consent that the report be considered as read and open for amendment.

An amendment in the nature of a substitute, offered to the contempt report, is offered by Mister Comer of Kentucky.

Without objection, the amendment is considered as read and the substitute will be considered as original text for the purposes of further amendment. I now recognize myself for five minutes for statement on the report. Today, the House of Representatives uh Committee on Oversight and Government Reform meets to advance a resolution recommended that the House find Leon D. Black in contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with duly issued subpoenas. Our investigation our investigation examining how federal government for decades failed survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's crimes, and how Mister Epstein sought to curry favor and exercise influence to avoid scrutiny. I subpoenaed Leon Black for testimony in documents critical to our investigation, but he has refused to comply. Leon Black is legally required to appear for a deposition before the oversight committee and required to turn over all nondisclosure agreements, to which he was a party. The committee also asked for all NDAs and confidentiality agreements that Epstein and Maxwell were involved or referenced in. He defied Congress, and refuse to do either. Instead, Mister Black is hiding behind litigation to delay having to provide answers to the American people. No one is above the law. Mister Black will be treat treated the same as anyone else in this investigation and his actions have consequences. A little over two months ago, Mister Black appeared before the committee for a transcribed interview. But only an hour into the interview, he began refusing to answer questions. So we issued two subpoenas to him, one for a deposition and one to produce his confidentiality agreements. Mister Black did not appear for his scheduled deposition on September third, twenty twenty six, and only produced one NDA to the committee, despite his counsel indicating there were many more. Subpoenas are not suggestions. They carry the force of law and require full compliance. Mister Black's testimony is crucial to our investigation because he maintained close personal relationship with Epstein for years during the time when Epstein was engaged in sex trafficking. Mister Black and Epstein also had a significant financial relationship. He funded Epstein's lavish laps- lifestyle for years, enabling Epstein to continue his horrific crimes. His testimony about Epstein, Maxwell and their crimes is invaluable. The committee wants to ensure the NDAs or other non- or other confidentiality agreements cannot be used to cover up criminal activities. We made it clear to Mister Black and his attorneys that if he did not comply, then the committee would initiate contempt proceedings. We have no choice to hold him in contempt. I encourage my colleagues to support this measure. I now yield to Ranking Member Garcia for his opening statement.

Thank you, Chairman Komer, and we are really here today on a really bipartisan basis because Leon Black is refusing to cooperate with our investigation as an oversight committee on the investigation of course of Jeffrey Epstein. Now, we believe that Leon Black is at the heart of the Epstein network. This is a private equity billionaire worth roughly thirteen billion dollars. We need to know why Jeffrey Epstein got over a hundred and eighty million dollars from Mister Black. We know this money enabled Epstein's activities for years, and we need to know how and if it led to the abuse of women and girls. We need to know about Leon Black and Jeffrey Epstein's financial dealings. We need to know about the role of the big banks. And we need to, for us as a committee, focus on how we in the future combat money laundering and sex trafficking. This investigation is important and can lead to so much for the protection of women and girls across this country. We also need to know about the involvement of other powerful and wealthy men and how law enforcement fail to protect survivors. We need to know about Mister Black's knowledge of Epstein's inner circle and activities. We need to know why he used nondisclosure agreements to silence women connected to Jeffrey Epstein. But Leon Black is refusing to provide this information to Congress. Now, this committee has tried to work with him to get answers, but he's had no interest in cooperating. And I do want to thank Chairman Komer for his efforts. We support and did support his efforts on these subpoenas and they're the absolutely the right thing to do to get to the truth. We should not allow Leon Black to defy congressional subpoenas. Our investigation is about fighting for the survivors of Epstein's abuse. And we're going to develop reforms and legal changes to ensure the system that allowed Jeffrey Epstein and his billionaire friends to continue their activities for years comes to an end. Now, Leon Black walked out of an interview with our committee. He refused to turn over documents. He refused to show up and testify for the deposition. That's two congressional subpoenas now that he's defied. That's unacceptable to this committee. And unfortunately, billionaires like Leon Black believe that they are above the law. Some of them certainly do. He believes that he is above this committee's oversight authority. He believes he is too powerful for Congress or the American people. But we're gonna stand up and remind Leon Black and the American people that subpoenas are not suggestions. Finally, I want to note that Leon Black certainly is not the only witness who has refused to answer our questions. For example, of course, Alan Dershowitz has repeatedly said he would appear before this committee to talk about Jeffrey Epstein. But when given the opportunity, he's also backed out twice. Now, Dershowitz may have been the president's lawyer, but he's also not above the law in answering this committee's questions. Alan Dershowitz should c- come forward and tell the American people and our committee what he knows. And certainly today, this committee should be focused on Leon Black and moving this motion that's in front of us forward to the full House. I thank Chairman Komer for his bipartisanship today, and I yield back.

Gentlemen, yields back. Does any other river wish to be heard? Seeing none. The question is now on the amendment in the nature of a substitute to the report recommending the House of Representatives refer Leon D. Black for contempt of Congress. All those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye.

Aye.

All those opposed signify by saying no. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it, and the amendment in the nature of substitute to the report is agreed to. The question is now on favorably reporting the House of Representatives refer Leon Black for contempt of Congress. The clerk will now call the roll on the report.

Mister Jordan. Mister Turner. Aye. Mister Turner votes aye. Mister Gosar. Miss Fox. mister growthman mister growthman votes aye mister cloud mister palmer mister higgins mister sessions

aye

mister sessions votes aye Mister Biggs.

Aye.

Mister Biggs votes aye. Miss Mace. Miss Mace votes aye. Mister Fallon. Mister Donalds. Donald Blank. Mister Perry. Mister Timmins.

Aye.

Mister Timmins votes aye. Mister Burchett. Miss Boebert. Aye. Miss Boebert votes aye. Miss Luna. Thank you. Mister Langworthy. Mister Burleson. Aye. Mister Burleson votes aye. Mister Crane. Aye. Mister Crane votes aye. Mister Jack. Aye. mr. jack votes aye mr. mcguire mr. mcguire votes aye mr. gill mr. gill votes aye mr. mccormick mr. mccormick votes aye mr. garcia aye mr. garcia votes aye miss norton aye Miss Norton votes aye. Mister Lynch. Aye. Mister Lynch votes aye. Mister Krishnamoorthy. Aye. Mister Krishnamoorthy votes aye. Mister Khanna. Aye. Mister Khanna votes aye. Mister Mfume. Aye. Mister Mfume votes aye. Miss Brown. Aye. Miss Brown votes aye. Miss Stansbury.

Aye.

Miss Stansbury votes aye. Mister Frost.

Aye.

Mister Frost votes aye. Mister Kassar. Mister Kassar votes aye. Miss Crockett.

Aye.

Miss Crockett votes aye. Miss Randall.

Aye.

Mister Miss Randall votes aye. Mister Supermonium. Aye. Mister Supermonium votes aye. Miss Ansari. Aye. Miss Ansari votes aye. Mister Bell. Aye. Mister Bell votes aye. Miss Simon. Aye. Miss Simon votes aye. Mister Min. Aye. Mister Min votes aye. Mister Walkinshaw. Mister Walkinshaw votes aye. Mister Menefee.

Aye.

Mister Menefee votes aye. Miss Presley. Miss Presley votes aye. Miss Tlaib.

Aye.

Miss Tlaib votes aye. Mister Chairman.

H uh I vote aye. How has Miss Luna been recorded?

Mister Chairman votes aye. Miss Luna is not recorded.

I'd like to record my vote as aye.

Miss Luna votes aye.

Uh, and Madam Clerk, we have one in the hallway walking in right now. You all have any more? Okay. Have all members been recorded who wish to be recorded? Wait, I'm gonna

Jordan's on his way.

Okay, we have one one more.

Good, good, good.

How has Mister Cloud been recorded?

Mister Cloud is not recorded.

Yes.

Mister Cloud votes aye.