In brief
Ghislaine Maxwell is scheduled to testify virtually before a congressional committee investigating the Epstein case on February 9. Her legal team has raised concerns about her potential refusal to answer questions, citing her Fifth Amendment rights. The committee has not offered her legal immunity, creating a contentious backdrop to the upcoming testimony.
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 cases.
Committee chairman James Comer, who is leading the investigation, says Maxwell will speak to the committee virtually on 9 February.
Maxwell's legal team has previously stated that she would decline to answer questions under her constitutional right to remain silent unless she is granted legal immunity. Comer noted that her lawyers had indicated she plans to plead the Fifth.
This announcement comes as the Trump administration faces scrutiny over its handling of Epstein-related matters. Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence for her role in recruiting and trafficking teenagers for abuse by Epstein.
In previous committee interactions, Maxwell's legal representatives have argued that testifying without immunity poses significant legal risks. A letter from her legal team asserted that such a move would result in 'political theater' without yielding substantive testimonial evidence.
The House committee cannot compel Maxwell to waive her Fifth Amendment rights, complicating expectations for her appearance. Following her conviction in 2021, her only potential pathway out of prison would be a presidential pardon, which has been dismissed by the White House with respect to former President Trump considering it.
Meanwhile, lawmakers continue to grapple with the remainder of Epstein's documents, facing criticism for the limited transparency surrounding releases of the files. The committee is also pursuing the Clintons for their failure to appear in the investigation, considering possible contempt charges.
