Maxwell Subpoenaed for House Oversight Deposition

Congressional Probe into Epstein Case Intensifies

House Oversight Chair James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, has issued a subpoena to Ghislaine Maxwell, a former associate of Jeffrey Epstein, for a deposition. The move marks a significant step in the ongoing scrutiny of the Epstein scandal, which has drawn considerable attention from both lawmakers and the public.

During an interview with DISCOVER TREND’s Manu Raju, Comer expressed that it is still unclear whether his committee will launch a full investigation into the Epstein case. “We’ll see what she has to say,” he stated. However, he emphasized that Republicans are pushing for more transparency regarding the Justice Department's handling of the matter, regardless of the direction the committee takes.

The subpoena comes amid growing calls from many congressional Republicans for greater openness about the Epstein case. The Justice Department has also shown interest in speaking with Maxwell. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche is scheduled to meet with her on Thursday, according to two sources familiar with the meeting. This development follows criticism of the administration’s management of files related to Epstein.

Maxwell’s attorney, David Oscar Markus, shared that her upcoming meeting with the Justice Department will influence how she responds to the congressional subpoena. “As for the Congressional subpoena, Ms. Maxwell is taking this one step at a time. She looks forward to her meeting with the Department of Justice, and that discussion will help inform how she proceeds,” Markus said.

The House committee announced that Maxwell’s deposition will take place at the Federal Correctional Institution in Tallahassee, Florida, on August 11. A statement from the committee noted that the Department of Justice is cooperating and will assist in facilitating the deposition at the prison.

Earlier on Wednesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson voiced his support for Comer’s efforts to subpoena Maxwell but raised concerns about her credibility. “Every single one of us are for maximum transparency, and we’ll use every power that we have to ensure that that’s done,” Johnson stated. He added, “I will note the obvious concern, the caveat that Chairman Comer and I, and everyone has, that can she be counted on to tell the truth? Is she a credible witness? … I mean, can we trust what she’s gonna say? Even if she raises her hand and says that she’ll testify under oath? Is that something that can be trusted? You know, that’s a reasonable question. Is that credible evidence? I don’t know. But we’ll have to see.”

In response to Johnson’s comments, Markus stated, “We understand Speaker Johnson’s general concern — Congress should always vet the credibility of its witnesses. But in this case, those concerns are unfounded. If Ms. Maxwell agrees to testify before Congress and not take the 5th— and that remains a big if — she would testify truthfully, as she always has said she would and as she will with Mr. Blanche. The truth should not be feared or preemptively dismissed. No previous prosecutor from the Southern District of New York or elsewhere has had the courage to meet with Ms. Maxwell and ask her these important questions. So we are grateful to Mr. Blanche and his DOJ that they are approaching this with an open mind. That’s how our system is supposed to work.”

This story has been updated with additional information.