House Panel Backs Leon Black Contempt in 41-0 Vote Over Epstein NDAs

3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Sep 16

A 41-0 House Oversight Committee vote recommended holding Leon Black in contempt after he refused to fully comply with subpoenas for testimony and nondisclosure agreements tied to the Epstein investigation.
The clash escalated after Black’s June interview ended when lawmakers said he would not answer NDA questions, and after he skipped a Sept. 3 deposition and withheld some requested agreements.
Black, who paid Jeffrey Epstein $170 million for tax and estate planning services from 2013 to 2017, has sued Chairman James Comer and the committee, calling the subpoenas invalid and abusive; he denies wrongdoing or knowledge of Epstein’s crimes.
More than a dozen Epstein survivors praised the vote as a signal that wealth and influence do not shield witnesses, while the resolution now awaits possible consideration by the full House.
On Wednesday, Comer tied the probe to new legislation—the Survivor’s Voice Protection Act—after a committee review that has included 19 depositions, about 65,000 released pages and Epstein bank records.