The House Oversight Committee on Tuesday voted to advance criminal contempt proceedings against investor Leon Black for failing to comply with subpoenas related to his past relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.

The committee unanimously voted to hold Black in contempt of Congress, sending the resolution to the full House for a vote. Chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., told reporters he expects a floor vote on Thursday.

Black’s attorney Aaron Cutler told reporters on Tuesday that the vote was “a complete abomination” and that the committee “has lost sight of its legislative purpose and is abusing its power.” Cutler said the legal team filed a complaint with the Office of Congressional Conduct earlier in the day focused on what he called Comer’s “unethical tactics.”

The contempt proceedings against the 75-year-old investor were forewarned. In June, Black sat for a voluntary interview with the committee as part of its sprawling investigation into Epstein, a convicted sex offender. Black refused to answer questions about nondisclosure agreements he allegedly signed with women tied to Epstein in the interview, prompting subpoenas from Comer: One for Black to hand over the alleged NDAs, and the other for his deposition before the committee on Sept. 3.

Black refused to fully comply with the subpoena and failed to appear for his deposition in early September. Instead, he filed a lawsuit against the committee and Comer, accusing the panel of exceeding its authority to seek “private information that bears no legitimate connection” to its legislative purpose.

Black’s attorney, Susan Estrich, said at the time that the lawmakers were “trying to destroy” Black, accusing the committee of engaging in “a fishing expedition.”

A co-founder of Apollo Global Management, Black has been heavily scrutinized for paying Epstein more than $150 million for what he described as tax- and estate-planning services. Black has said that he had no knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and that he was deceived by Epstein. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Julianne McShane and Syedah Asghar contributed reporting.

The post House Oversight Committee advances contempt proceedings against ex-Epstein client Leon Black appeared first on MS NOW.

Author: Source Author

From MS Now.