Ghislaine Maxwell denied immunity to testify before Congress in Epstein case
The sex offender’s call for immunity comes as Trump and others race to find out what she knows about Jeffrey Epstein’s sex-trafficking ring
Convicted sex offender and Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell is being denied her lawyers’ demand for immunity in return for her scheduled testimony before a congressional committee’s investigators next month.
Lawyers for Maxwell told House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer in a letter on Tuesday that they were demanding Maxwell be given a grant of immunity. But Comer’s office dismissed the idea for now.
“The oversight committee will respond to Ms Maxwell’s attorney soon but it will not consider granting congressional immunity for her testimony,” committee spokeswoman Jessica Andrews said in a statement.
Comer issued a subpoena for Maxwell to testify to his committee and lawmakers have been planning to depose her on August 11. Politico reported on the letter to Comer earlier on Tuesday.
“Ms Maxwell cannot risk further criminal exposure in a politically charged environment without formal immunity,” according to the letter from her lawyer, David Oscar Markus.
Congressional immunity for Maxwell also could complicate Justice Department efforts to potentially strike a deal with her.