Leon Black Sues House Committee, Skips Epstein Deposition

Billionaire investor Leon Black has sued the House Oversight Committee, seeking to block subpoenas that demand his testimony and copies of non-disclosure agreements related to his dealings with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Black defied a scheduled deposition on Thursday, escalating the conflict. His lawsuit, filed in federal court, alleges the committee exceeded its constitutional authority and that the subpoenas lack a legitimate legislative purpose, potentially violating the privacy of individuals with no connection to the Epstein scandal. Black's attorney, Susan Estrich, called the committee's actions an abuse of power aimed at destroying Mr. Black. Committee Chair James Comer stated that Black's testimony is crucial, as he was a fee-paying client of Epstein and has several non-disclosure agreements. Comer defended the probe's scope, aiming to understand how federal authorities mishandled the Epstein and Maxwell cases and how Epstein leveraged powerful connections. Black previously stated he never abused women or engaged in sex trafficking during a voluntary interview in June, but walked out, leading to the subpoena. Epstein died by suicide in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges, and Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence.