Democrats on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee said Friday that they have enough votes to command Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to testify about his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
"I believe we will have the votes to subpoena him," Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center before members of the committee were set to question former President Bill Clinton about his ties to the New York financier.
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., also said she would like to see Lutnick testify as part of the committee's investigation into Epstein.
"Howard Lutnick should take questions from the Oversight committee," Mace wrote on social media, responding to a post claiming the Department of Justice removed a photo from its files on Epstein that showed him standing next to someone who "appears to be Howard Lutnick."
The photo has since been restored to the DOJ's database. It's unknown when the photo was taken.
Lutnick was a longtime neighbor of Epstein in New York City but said on a podcast that he severed ties with Epstein following a 2005 tour of Epstein's home that disturbed Lutnick and his wife.
The public release of case files showed that Lutnick had two documented interactions with Epstein years later.
He attended a 2011 event at Epstein's home, and in 2012 his family had lunch with Epstein on his private island.
Epstein was convicted of soliciting a minor for prostitution in 2008.
"We're going to continue to, you know, ask questions of everyone ... that shows up in photos on the island and things like that," House Oversight Chair James Comer, R-Ky., said Friday in Chappaqua, New York, where the Clintons live.
"I think it'll be interesting what Hillary Clinton said about Howard Lutnick," Comer added.
"And how she said it," Mace interjected.
Lutnick has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Sam Barron ✉
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