Chairman Comer Statement on Leon Black Being Found in Contempt of Congress
WASHINGTON—House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) issued the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives approved by unanimous consent a resolution to hold Leon Black in contempt of Congress for defying duly issued subpoenas:
“No one is above the law. Leon Black defied two subpoenas, and the U.S. House of Representatives acted swiftly to find him in contempt of Congress. We will continue to seek transparency for the American people and justice for survivors in our investigation of the federal government’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell criminal cases.”
Background: The House Oversight Committee is investigating how the federal government for decades failed survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s crimes and how Mr. Epstein sought to curry favor with influential individuals to avoid scrutiny. Leon Black had an extensive personal and financial relationship with Jeffrey Epstein spanning decades and paid him at least $158 million after Epstein became a registered sex offender.
On March 3, 2026, Chairman Comer sent a letter to Mr. Black seeking a transcribed interview as part of the Committee’s review of the federal government’s investigation of Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes. During the transcribed interview, Chairman Comer issued two subpoenas to Mr. Black compelling him to produce nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) to the Committee and appear for a deposition on July 16, 2026. After the Committee accommodated Mr. Black’s request to delay the deposition on September 3, 2026, Mr. Black failed to appear for his scheduled deposition, withheld NDAs from the Committee, and filed a lawsuit against Chairman Comer and the Committee.
On September 15, 2026, the House Oversight Committee unanimously advanced a report recommending that the U.S. House of Representatives hold Leon Black in contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with duly issued subpoenas.