The House Oversight Committee has subpoenaed Ghislaine Maxwell to testify under oath about her role in Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking network, marking a significant step in Congress's renewed push for transparency and accountability in one of the most disturbing scandals in recent memory.
House Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., has issued a subpoena compelling Ghislaine Maxwell to testify under oath at the Federal Correctional Institution in Tallahassee, Florida, on Aug. 11. The Department of Justice has agreed to assist in facilitating the deposition.
The move follows a motion for her testimony introduced by Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., and adopted by voice vote during a Government Operations Subcommittee hearing on July 22.
"The facts and circumstances surrounding both your and Mr. Epstein's cases have received immense public interest and scrutiny," Comer wrote in the subpoena cover letter. He emphasized that the Committee has sought transparency from the DOJ since the start of the 119th Congress, referencing a Feb. 11 request for a briefing on Epstein's prosecution and a May 8 letter asking for public release of "the entirety of the Epstein files."
Maxwell was sentenced in 2022 to 20 years in prison for conspiring with Epstein to sexually abuse minors. Her willingness to speak to Congress was reported by the Daily Mail on July 13, which quoted a source saying she "would be more than happy to sit before Congress and tell [her] story."
Some critics have voiced concern that Maxwell may be angling for an official pardon, which might raise questions about her testimony.
That offer coincided with renewed executive action.
On July 17, President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, "I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to court approval …" The next day, Bondi confirmed that the motion had been filed.
On July 22, Bondi posted a statement from Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who said, "If Ghislaine Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and DOJ will hear what she has to say."
Blanche added, "This Department of Justice does not shy away from uncomfortable truths, nor from the responsibility to pursue justice wherever the facts may lead."
Epstein was first arrested in July 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges. The indictment accused him of exploiting dozens of underage girls at properties in Manhattan, Palm Beach, and elsewhere. Epstein died in federal custody on Aug. 10, 2019; the death was ruled a suicide by the New York City chief medical examiner.
Epstein's 2008 Florida plea deal had shielded him and alleged co-conspirators from federal prosecution, a controversial agreement that has prompted ongoing criticism.
Comer said the Committee seeks Maxwell's testimony to guide legislative reforms on non-prosecution and plea agreements in sex crimes as well as to improve federal enforcement of anti-trafficking laws.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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