Lutnick Admits Visiting Epstein's Private Island, Interrogators Criticize Evasiveness

Central News Agency (Washington, May 6th, comprehensive foreign report) - According to congressional members who attended the closed-door hearing of the Secretary of Commerce, Lutnick admitted that he had visited Epstein's island seven years after he claimed to have severed ties with the late sex offender billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, describing the reason for his visit as "inexplicable." However, this confession did not satisfy the Democratic members of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability who questioned him today. The committee questioned Howard Lutnick today as part of an ongoing investigation into Epstein's crimes and the network of powerful figures behind them. Democratic Representative Suhas Subramanyam told the media during a break in the lengthy hearing: "He was evasive, nervous, and untruthful. Despite the facts, he refused to admit lying." Lutnick was questioned today in a recorded interview format, not under oath. This means he was not required to swear to tell the truth, and the entire process was not videotaped. Nevertheless, Republican Chairman James Comer of the House Committee investigating the Epstein case warned: "If we find any false statements made by Lutnick, lying to Congress is a felony, and he will be prosecuted according to the law." Comer also defended his decision not to require Lutnick to be videotaped. He stated that the committee would publicly release the transcript, and the American people would "judge whether it damages (Lutnick's) credibility." Lutnick has not been accused of any illegal activities related to Epstein's crimes. However, since federal data on the Epstein case revealed that the former CEO of financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald visited Epstein's notorious island in the U.S. Virgin Islands before 2012, he has been under intense scrutiny from bipartisan members of Congress. This is in stark contrast to his initial claim that he had severed ties with Epstein as early as 2005. Democratic members of the committee told reporters that Lutnick was ultimately unable to explain why he visited Epstein's island. Representative Yassamin Ansari pointed out that the cabinet secretary described his decision at the time as "inexplicable" and claimed that the interaction between the two was "meaningless" and "insignificant." Democratic Representative Ro Khanna stated that Lutnick admitted to having consulted with the current administration regarding the Epstein scandal. However, Representative James Walkinshaw pointed out that Lutnick refused to answer when asked if he had spoken with Trump before testifying today. A spokesperson for the Department of Commerce did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Compiler: Chen Yuting) 1150507. Stand with the facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom. Download the Central News Agency's "First-hand News" APP to get the latest news instantly. The text, images, and audio-visual content of this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or used without authorization.