Commerce Sec. Lutnick to Interview on Epstein Ties

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is scheduled to appear for a voluntary transcribed interview before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday, addressing questions about his past association with Jeffrey Epstein, the financier who died by suicide in 2019 while facing federal sex trafficking charges.

The closed-door session comes amid the committee's broader investigation into the federal handling of Epstein-related cases. Lutnick, a billionaire former CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald and a key figure in the Trump administration, agreed to testify after Republican Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina indicated she would seek a vote to subpoena him. House Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., welcomed the move. "I commend his demonstrated commitment to transparency and appreciate his willingness to engage with the Committee," Comer said in a March statement. Attendance may be limited, as the House is in a district work period.

Lutnick's relationship with Epstein has drawn scrutiny due to inconsistencies in his public statements. In a New York Post interview last year, he said he severed ties with Epstein in 2005 after a disturbing visit to the financier's Manhattan townhome, where the...