WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Division’s No. 2 official met Thursday with Ghislaine Maxwell, the imprisoned former girlfriend of financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The assembly in Florida, which Deputy Lawyer Common Todd Blanche mentioned on Tuesday he was working to rearrange, is a part of an ongoing Justice Division effort to solid itself as clear following fierce backlash from parts of President Donald Trump’s base over an earlier refusal to launch extra information within the Epstein investigation.
“Ms. Maxwell answered each single query. She by no means stopped, she by no means invoked a privilege, she by no means declined to reply. She answered all of the questions honestly, truthfully and to one of the best of her skill,” lawyer David Oscar Markus advised reporters exterior the federal courthouse in Tallahassee, the place Maxwell met with Blanche.
In a social media put up Tuesday, Blanche mentioned that Trump “has advised us to launch all credible proof” and that if Maxwell has details about anybody who has dedicated crimes towards victims, the FBI and the Justice Division “will hear what she has to say.”
Markus mentioned his crew was “grateful” the deputy lawyer common got here to query Maxwell, calling it a “good day.”
Requested if his consumer may probably obtain a pardon or see her jail time period diminished, Markus mentioned: “There’s no guarantees but. So she’s simply answering questions for now.”
The Home Committee on Oversight issued a subpoena Wednesday for Maxwell to testify earlier than committee officers in August.
Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence and is housed at a low-security federal jail in Tallahassee, Florida. She was sentenced three years in the past after being convicted of serving to Epstein sexually abuse underage ladies.
Officers have mentioned Epstein killed himself in his New York jail cell whereas awaiting trial in 2019, however his case has generated infinite consideration and conspiracy theories due to his and Maxwell’s hyperlinks to well-known individuals, together with royals, presidents and billionaires.
Earlier this month, the Justice Division mentioned it would not release more files associated to the Epstein investigation, regardless of guarantees that claimed in any other case from Lawyer Common Pam Bondi. The division additionally mentioned an Epstein consumer listing doesn’t exist.
The Wall Road Journal reported Wednesday that Bondi advised Trump in Might that his title was amongst high-profile individuals talked about in authorities recordsdata of Epstein, although the point out doesn’t indicate wrongdoing.
Trump, a Republican, has mentioned that he as soon as thought Epstein was a “terrific guy” however that they later had a falling out.
A subcommittee on Wednesday additionally voted to subpoena the Justice Division for paperwork associated to Epstein. And senators in each main political events have expressed openness to holding hearings on the matter after Congress’ August recess.
Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, has launched laws with bipartisan help that may require the Justice Division to “make publicly obtainable in a searchable and downloadable format all unclassified information, paperwork, communications, and investigative supplies” associated to Epstein and his associates.
Home Speaker Mike Johnson and the Republican majority chief, Rep. Steve Scalise, each of Louisiana, have mentioned they’ll handle no matter excellent Epstein-related points are in Congress after they return from recess.
Epstein, below a 2008 non-prosecution settlement, pleaded responsible in Florida to state expenses of soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution. That allowed him to avert a attainable life sentence, as an alternative serving 13 months in a piece launch program. He was required to make funds to victims and register as a intercourse offender.
In 2019, Epstein was charged by federal prosecutors in Manhattan for almost similar allegations.
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Williams reported from Detroit.
