House oversight panel recommends contempt for Leon Black

Committee approves contempt report

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee voted 41-0 Tuesday to recommend holding Leon D. Black, the former chief executive of Apollo Global Management, in contempt of Congress.

The committee is investigating the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell. Its contempt report concerns Black’s response to congressional subpoenas seeking testimony and documents about nondisclosure agreements involving Black, Epstein and Maxwell. Roll Call covered the committee vote and report.

Dispute over testimony and documents

Black voluntarily took part in a transcribed committee interview on June 26 but declined to answer questions about the nondisclosure agreements, the committee report states. The panel then subpoenaed him for a deposition and ordered him to produce related documents.

Black did not appear for the deposition scheduled for Sept. 3 and submitted one nondisclosure agreement, according to the report. The committee said Black had a close personal relationship with Epstein and paid him more than, with the total possibly exceeding.

House action remains ahead

Chairman James R. Comer, R-Ky., said Black has a legal duty to produce the requested documents and that confidentiality agreements should not conceal criminal conduct.

Ranking member Robert Garcia, D-Calif., said congressional subpoenas must be followed. After the committee meeting, Garcia said Democrats were urging the full House to vote quickly on the contempt recommendation.