Band appeared for a closed-door interview with the House Oversight Committee.
Doug Band, a former close adviser to President Bill Clinton, repeatedly told lawmakers that he could not recall his involvement on several topics related to convicted sex offenderJeffrey Epstein, multiple sources said following Band's appearance Tuesday before the House Oversight Committee.
Band, who began his tenure with Clinton as an intern in the mid-1990s, was questioned for four hours by the panel as part of itsongoing probeof the government's handling of the investigations into Epstein.
Multiple sources familiar with his testimony said Band had no evidence or information that President Clinton ever went to Epstein's island, Little St. James, in the U.S. Virgin Islands, despite tellingVanity Fairon the record in 2020 that Clinton had visited the island. Band told the committee that he didn't remember why he had made that claim to Vanity Fair.
Often described as one of the architects of Clinton's post-presidential endeavors, including the Clinton Foundation and the Clinton Global Initiative, Band was pressed about his own communications with Epstein's convicted co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell, which weremade publicearlier this year by the Justice Department as part of the release of files mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Emails between Band and Maxwell included talk of meetings with Epstein and numerous exchanges containing suggestive innuendo and cheeky nicknames for each other like "babycakes" and "booboo," according to files released by the DOJ.
The bulk of the messages were exchanged between 2001-2004, before Epstein first facedcriminal chargesin Florida in 2006.
Band, according to sources, told committee members that he didn't recall sending individual emails to Maxwell, but he confirmed that an email address associated with Clinton that was found in the Epstein files was Band's and that no one else had access to it.
Band stated that he took steps to insulate Clinton from Maxwell as Band became aware of allegations, according to the sources.
Band stated that he never had sexual contact of any kind with Maxwell and didn't recall ever being introduced to any woman or girl associated with Maxwell, sources said.
Band also said he did not recall ever engaging with Epstein on any of the flights he took with Clinton on Epstein's private jet, and did not recall having conversations with Epstein, said sources.
"We know that Mr. Band set up several meetings between Clinton and Epstein," House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., told reporters prior to Band's appearance. "We know Mr. Band accompanied Mr. Clinton on several flights on Epstein's jet. We know that Mr. Band also had a lot of communication with Ms. Maxwell, so that'll be a topic of several questions."
Band, 54, has not been accused of any wrongdoing. His appearance before the Oversight Committee was voluntary and was not recorded. The committee has typically released transcripts of interviews after they are reviewed for accuracy and redacted to remove any potential references to alleged victims.
Earlier this year, Band toldThe New York Timesthat his messages with Maxwell occurred when he was in his 20s and unmarried -- and he denied any romantic involvement with Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex-trafficking and other offenses.
"There was absolutely no physical relationship that occurred between us. Ever," Band said in a statement to the Times, in which he referred to Maxwell as "a monster."
