Maxwell Demands Immunity for Congressional Testimony
Failing that, Epstein accomplice plans to invoke Fifth Amendment
Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted in her role aiding Jeffrey Epstein, is willing to testify before Congress, but her legal team has laid out stringent conditions, including a grant of formal immunity.
Congressional Subpoena and Conditional Offer
James Comer, chair of the House Oversight Committee, subpoenaed Maxwell to appear next month. Her attorneys, in a letter to Comer on Tuesday, initially signaled her intent to decline testimony by invoking her Fifth Amendment rights. However, they subsequently proposed cooperation with lawmakers, contingent on establishing a “fair and safe path forward.”
Legal Concerns and Prejudged Credibility
Maxwell’s legal team highlighted her ongoing appeal to the Supreme Court, arguing that any testimony could jeopardize her constitutional protections, legal arguments, and potentially bias a future jury. The letter also expressed concern over “public comments from members of Congress that appear to have prejudged Ms. Maxwell’s credibility.”
Committee Rejects Immunity
A spokesperson for the Oversight Committee firmly rejected the idea of granting Maxwell immunity. “The Oversight Committee will respond to Ms. Maxwell’s attorney soon, but it will not consider granting congressional immunity for her testimony,”
the spokeswoman stated.
James Comer previously told CNN, “I don’t think there are many Republicans that want to give immunity to someone that may have been sex trafficking children.”
Maxwell’s Conditions for Testimony
Maxwell’s attorneys have detailed specific demands for her potential appearance:
- A formal grant of immunity.
- The interview must not take place at her current correctional facility.
- Advance notice of the committee’s questions to ensure accuracy and fairness, as
“Surprise questioning would be both inappropriate and unproductive.”
- The interview should only be scheduled after her Supreme Court petition and forthcoming habeas petition are resolved.
Potential Supreme Court Delay
The Supreme Court is not expected to address Maxwell’s petition until October, when the justices reconvene after their summer recess.
Her attorneys indicated that if these conditions cannot be met, “Maxwell will have no choice but to invoke her Fifth Amendment rights.”
Plea for Clemency
The letter concluded with a direct appeal to President Donald Trump for clemency. Maxwell’s legal team stated that “if Ms. Maxwell were to receive clemency, she would be willing—and eager—to testify openly and honestly, in public, before Congress in Washington, D.C.”
They added, “She welcomes the opportunity to share the truth and to dispel the many misconceptions and misstatements that have plagued this case from the beginning.”
A 2022 report by the Department of Justice indicated that the federal clemency process can take anywhere from several months to over a year. U.S. Department of Justice
