Democrats sharply criticize the US commerce secretary’s testimony, saying he was ‘dishonest’ and should resign
The US commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, appeared before the House oversight and reform committee on Wednesday to answer questions over his past ties toJeffrey Epstein.
Lutnickagreedin March to sit for a transcribed interview with the committee after the justice department’s release of millions of documents related to Epstein, which included documents showing that Lutnick continued correspondence with Epstein after the disgraced financier had been convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor. The session is part of the committee’s broader investigation into Epstein.
“In a voluntary appearance before the oversight committee, Secretary Lutnick answered nearly 400 questions from members and staff, ending only when members said they had nothing more to ask,” a commerce department spokesperson said. “He explained repeatedly that three encounters do not constitute a relationship. The committee adjourned without identifying any evidence to the contrary.”
The interview on Wednesday took place behind closed doors, with a transcript to be released at a later date, as the committee has done with the previous transcribed interviews.
After the hearing concluded, Democrats on the committee lambasted Lutnick’s performance. “Now we know why that interview was not videotaped. If Donald Trump had seen the video transcript, he would’ve fired Howard Lutnick,”saidRo Khanna, a Democratic congressman of California, who has helped lead efforts in Congress to force the release of the justice department’s files related to Epstein. “It was just contortions and lies … He made a farce of the English language.”
“Howard Lutnick should resign,”addedSuhas Subramanyam, a Democratic Virginia congressman. “That was just absolutely mind-boggling what we just heard in that room. He was evasive, nervous and dishonest.”
Shortly after, Republican representative James Comer, who chairs the committee, said that the committee asked Lutnick “very substantive questions” and disputed the Democrats’ account of the hearing.
Comer said that he felt that Lutnick had been “very transparent” and “came here voluntarily”, and said that Lutnick corrected previous statements in his interview on Wednesday.
In January, documents released by the justice department as part of the tranche of files related to Epstein revealed that Lutnick, who was once Epstein’s neighbor in Manhattan, maintained contact with the disgraced financier after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor. The revelation contradicted a previous claim Lutnick made last year that he and his wife had cut ties with Epstein in 2005.
During a Senate hearing in February, Lutnick, who has not been accused of any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein,acknowledgedthat he visited Epstein’s private island in 2012, telling lawmakers that he and his family travelled to the island for a lunch with Epstein.
“My wife was with me, as were my four children and nannies,” Lutnicksaid. “I had another couple with – they were there as well, with their children.
“And we had lunch on the island, that is true, for an hour,” he said.
Among the documents released in the files is also Epstein’s schedule for1 May 2011, which shows a scheduled appointment with Lutnick.
During the hearing, Lutnick told lawmakers: “I did not have any relationship with him. I barely had anything to do with that person.”
