So.......... Billionaires Are Just Suing Their Way Out of Epstein Depositions Now?

Leon Black—the billionaire financier who’s been accused of raping a woman in Epstein’s apartment, accused of raping a 16-year-old with Down Syndrome, and is mentioned in the Epstein files more than 8,000 times—was meant to appear before the House Oversight Committee on Thursday, regarding his alleged ties to Epstein. But in a latest of slap-in-the-face dealt by slithering men-in-power who deny any modicum of accountability for their ties to the disgraced financier and pedophile, Black not only refused to testify—but sent his legal team to file a lawsuit to block the subpoenas. 

 

In the 28-page complaint, Black’s team argues there’s “no justification for such a sweeping and intrusive subpoena served upon a private citizen,” saying also that he “has already testified to Congress that Epstein had nothing to do with drafting or creating any confidentiality agreements he may possess.” Which… leaves out a crucial detail. That testimony, which was a closed-door interview that took place in June, is reported to have abruptly come to an end after Black refused to cooperate on questions regarding NDAs. Suspicious, much? 

And Black, the “private citizen” in question, is a billionaire investor who’s been accused of sexual assault multiple times. He was involved in a lawsuit earlier this year, filed by Epstein’s survivors, accusing Bank of America of knowingly profiting from Epstein’s sex trafficking—a lawsuit that was settled in March for more than $70 million. The Bank denied all liability. 

“Leon Black must be held in contempt of Congress immediately,” Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), the top Dem. on the Oversight Committee, posted on social media on Thursday. “I don’t know who told these billionaires that the rules don’t apply to them,” Rep. Jasmine Crockett added, “but let me help them out: Nobody is above the law.” And committee Chair Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) said, “Our deposition is moving forward this morning for the record and there will be an empty chair for Mr. Black.”

During the June hearing, lawmakers issued two subpoenas against Black for his refusal to answer their questions. They scheduled his September hearing about a month later, and days before Thurday’s testimony took place, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) named Black as one of 14 associates he believed aided and abetted Epstein in his crimes, calling also for an immediate investigation into the matter. 

But again, this is only the latest of a series of calculated and malicious moves to skirt fallout around the Epstein files—and Black’s audacity counts as only a grim reminder that the U.S. has yet to buck its fecklessness when it comes to holding anyone accountable. Mind you, since the Justice Department released more than three million pages of the files, precisely zero people in the U.S. have been criminally charged for their involvement to Epstein. 

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