Defiant Howard Lutnick Insists He Did Nothing Wrong As Comer Confirms He Will Testify In House Epstein Probe

Howard Lutnick has volunteered to attest before nan House Oversight Committee astir his narration pinch Jeffrey Epstein, nan president said Tuesday – a improvement that comes weeks aft documents revealed Trump’s Commerce Secretary had visited nan activity offender’s island.

Lutnick, who has denied wrongdoing and has ne'er been accused of a crime associated pinch Epstein, was revealed to person brought his family to person luncheon pinch Epstein on his land successful 2012, according to emails released from nan Epstein files.

The revelation contradicted a connection that Lutnick made successful October erstwhile he boasted that he was truthful disgusted by Epstein erstwhile they met successful 2005 that he was “never successful nan room pinch [Epstein] socially, for business aliases moreover philanthropy.”

"I look guardant to appearing earlier nan committee,” Lutnick said successful a caller connection obtained by Axios. “I person done thing wrong, and I want to group nan grounds straight."

Republican Rep. James Comer, who heads nan committee, commended Lutnick for “proactively” and “voluntarily” agreeing to attest earlier nan committee.

“I commend his demonstrated committedness to transparency and admit his willingness to prosecute pinch nan Committee. I look guardant to his testimony,” Comer said successful a connection posted connected X.

Lutnick’s grounds is expected to beryllium a closed-door, recorded deposition akin to that of erstwhile President Bill Clinton, erstwhile Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and billionaire Leslie Wexner, Axios reported. Like those depositions, a transcript and signaling will beryllium released later.

The Independent has asked nan House Oversight Committee and Commerce Department for comment.

White House spokesperson Kush Desai said successful a statement: “Secretary Lutnick continues to beryllium a captious plus for President Trump, having played a cardinal domiciled successful securing awesome waste and acquisition and finance deals. The full Trump administration, including Secretary Lutnick, stay focused connected delivering much wins for nan American people.”

Democratic members of nan House Oversight Committee said past week they wanted Lutnick to attest astir his narration pinch Epstein aft documents from nan files indicated nan 2 corresponded much than he had antecedently made known.

Lutnick was neighbors pinch Epstein successful New York City for years, but said he didn’t intimately subordinate pinch him. In a podcast question and reply successful October, Lutnick claimed he recovered Epstein “gross” aft gathering him because Epstein had indicated he received intersexual massages.

Lutnick said he did not subordinate pinch Epstein for social, business aliases philanthropic reasons.

Before becoming commerce secretary, Lutnick served arsenic CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, an finance banking and financial services firm. His nett worthy is an estimated $3 billion, according to Forbes.

However, erstwhile nan Justice Department released 3 cardinal documents successful nan Epstein files, emails revealed Lutnick and Epstein were scheduled to person drinks successful May 2011, and said various times complete nan telephone opening successful 2009. Epstein donated $50,000 to a philanthropic meal recognizing Lutnick successful 2017.

Lutnick and Epstein besides arranged to person luncheon connected Epstein’s land successful nan U.S. Virgin Islands successful 2012 while he was connected picnic pinch his family and a group of family friends.

When asked astir nan brushwood during an unrelated Senate proceeding successful February, Lutnick said he did not witnesser thing “untoward” while connected nan island.

“My woman was pinch me, arsenic were my 4 children and nannies. I had different couple, they were location arsenic good pinch their children and we had luncheon connected nan island. That is true. For an hour. Then we left,” Lutnick told lawmakers astatine nan time.

Epstein, a financier, was accused of moving a longtime activity trafficking scheme, successful which he abused young women and allegedly underage girls, that benefited a web of high-profile individuals. He was indicted successful 2019 connected charges of kid activity trafficking and conspiracy to postulation minors; however, he died successful national situation earlier he could spell to trial.

Epstein’s associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, was convicted connected kid activity trafficking, among different charges, successful 2021 and sentenced to 20 years successful prison.