In a surprising turn of events, Ghislaine Maxwell, the jailed associate of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has agreed to testify under oath before the congressional committee investigating the federal government’s handling of the Epstein case. The announcement comes as the Trump administration continues to face intense scrutiny over its involvement in the scandal.
Committee chairman James Comer, who is leading the investigation, has stated that Maxwell will depose virtually on 9 February. This development marks a significant shift, as Maxwell’s legal team had previously indicated that she would decline to answer questions, invoking her constitutional right to remain silent unless granted legal immunity.
However, Comer has revealed that Maxwell’s lawyers have now said she is “going to plead the Fifth,” referring to the US Fifth Amendment right to decline to speak to authorities. This decision has raised eyebrows, as it suggests Maxwell may still be reluctant to provide the committee with the information it seeks.
Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in recruiting and trafficking teenage girls for sexual abuse by Epstein. In July, the committee had declined to offer her legal immunity in exchange for her testimony, a move that her lawyers had described as a “non-starter.”
The announcement of Maxwell’s impending testimony comes as the Trump administration continues to face intense scrutiny over its handling of the Epstein case. The Department of Justice has also faced criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle over the number of redactions in the Epstein files, which the law permits only to protect victims’ identities and active criminal investigations.
Meanwhile, the House committee is also meeting to discuss former President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary Clinton’s refusal to appear before the panel to answer questions related to the investigation into Epstein. The committee has said it is considering filing contempt charges against the two.
As the investigation into the Epstein scandal continues to unfold, the decision by Ghislaine Maxwell to testify before the congressional committee is sure to be closely watched and analyzed. The outcome of her deposition may shed further light on the complex web of relationships and power dynamics that have long surrounded this high-profile case.
