Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick acknowledges meetings with Epstein that contradict previous claims
WASHINGTON (AP) — Commerce Secretary questioned by Democrats on Tuesday Howard Lutnick He admitted that he met with jeffrey epstein He was sentenced twice after being convicted in 2008 of soliciting prostitution from a child, reversing Lutnick’s earlier claim that he cut ties with the late financier after 2005.
As Lutnick was questioned by Democrats during a Senate Appropriations Committee subcommittee hearing, he again downplayed his relationship with the disgraced financier who was once his New York City neighbor. He described their contact as a handful of emails and a pair of meetings that took place years apart.
“I had no relationship with him. I had almost nothing to do with him,” Lutnick told lawmakers.
But Lutnick faces increasing scrutiny from lawmakers after the election, including calls for his resignation. Release of Epstein case files contradicted Lutnick’s claims podcast Last year, after a tour of Epstein’s home in 2005 that disturbed Lutnick and his wife, he decided never to “enter a room” with Epstein again.
The commerce secretary told senators on Tuesday that she and her family had lunch with Epstein on his private island in 2012 and had another one-hour engagement at his home in 2011. President Donald Trump Cabinet became the most high-profile US official to face bipartisan calls to resign after his ties to Epstein were revealed. His confirmation comes as lawmakers are trying to grasp what accountability looks like amid the revelations contained in documents known as the Epstein files.
Epstein files in countries like the United Kingdom triggered resignations and stripping of royal prerogatives, but so far U.S. officials have not faced the same level of punishment.
Senators want to investigate Lutnick’s ties to Epstein
Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen, who questioned Lutnick, told him: “There is no indication that you committed any wrongdoing against Jeffrey Epstein. You believe that you misled the country and Congress based on your previous statements.”
Van Hollen, D-Md., stopped short of calling for Lutnick’s resignation Monday but did request documents from Lutnick about any contact he had with Epstein.
“Given the false statements he’s made, it’s absolutely critical that he submit these documents to Congress, and then we’ll go from there,” he said.
During the Senate hearing, Lutnick said he would give the request some thought, adding: “I have nothing to hide.”
But some Senate Republicans also questioned Lutnick’s relationship with Epstein. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said a visit to Epstein’s private island would “raise questions.” And Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., told reporters: “This is something I’m concerned about.”
Tillis stopped short of calling for Lutnick to leave his post, but added that he would “do himself a favor by revealing exactly what is and isn’t happening in what appears to be an interesting relationship involving business complications.”
A pair of House members call for resignation
Meanwhile, House members who launched a legislative effort to mandate the release of the files are calling for Lutnick to resign. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky called for that following the release of emails over the weekend touching on meetings between Lutnick and Epstein.
Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, joined Massie in calling for Lutnick’s impeachment on Monday.
“Based on the evidence, he should be out of the Cabinet,” Khanna said.
“This is not about any one person. We have to make a decision in this country. Are we going to let rich and powerful people slide who are friends and have no problem doing business and come forward with a pedophile who rapes underage girls?”
