1 of 2 | The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is delaying its deposition of Ghislaine Maxwell, the committee’s chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., confirmed. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is delaying its deposition of Ghislaine Maxwell, the committee’s chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., confirmed.
Comer penned a letter to Maxwell this week acknowledging the committee will postpone the scheduled date with the convicted associate of late child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein until after the U.S. Supreme Court decides whether or not to hear her appeal.
Maxwell was convicted in 2021 of facilitating and participating in the sexual abuse of children for her role in helping Epstein procure young women in his sex trafficking operation.
The 63-year-old was scheduled to sit down for a deposition with House Oversight Committee members on Aug. 11, but that date will now be pushed back until the fall.
“Your testimony is vital to the Committee’s efforts regarding Mr. Jeffrey Epstein, including the 2007 non-prosecution agreement and the circumstances surrounding Mr. Epstein’s Death,” Comer wrote in the letter dated Friday.
“These investigative efforts may be used to inform potential legislation to improve federal efforts to combat sex trafficking and reform the use of non-prosecution agreements and/or plea agreements in sex-crime investigations.
Maxwell was recently moved to a minimum-security prison in Texas where she continues to serve a 20-year custodial sentence on child sex trafficking charges.
No reason was given for the move, which comes approximately a week after Maxwell answered questions from Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche about Epstein’s crimes and who may have associated with him.
Blanche’s interview is separate from proceedings involving the House Oversight Committee.
Maxwell’s lawyer David Oscar Markus has previously petitioned the committee to push back Maxwell’s deposition date after she was subpoenaed, arguing such a hearing could hurt her potential appeal.
“As you know, Ms. Maxwell is actively pursuing post-conviction relief – both in a pending petition before the United States Supreme Court and in a forthcoming habeas petition. Any testimony she provides now could compromise her constitutional rights, prejudice her legal claims, and potentially taint a future jury pool,” Markus wrote to the committee last month.
