US Speaker Mike Johnson has shut the House till September, even as members moved to subpoena Ghislaine Maxwell to testify about the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Johnson decided to end the House's legislative business early this week after he essentially lost control of the powerful House Rules Committee, which sends bills to the floor for debates and votes.
Late Monday evening, business on that panel came to a halt when the Republicans on the committee abruptly recessed proceedings rather than risk more proposals from Democrats pushing them to release Epstein files.
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Even as Johnson made the announcement, the House Committee on Oversight – chaired by Republican James Comer of Kentucky – advanced a resolution to subpoena Maxwell, Epstein's accomplice and partner.
Will Ghislaine Maxwell be deposed?
Comer said there will be a negotiation with Maxwell’s attorney over the terms of the deposition and that it could happen at the prison. Trump, meanwhile, made no mention of it at a reception for House Republicans at the White House on Tuesday night.
{{/usCountry}}Comer said there will be a negotiation with Maxwell’s attorney over the terms of the deposition and that it could happen at the prison. Trump, meanwhile, made no mention of it at a reception for House Republicans at the White House on Tuesday night.
{{/usCountry}}He, however, heaped praises on the Speaker, who himself remained mum on the issue later.
Is Ghislaine Maxwell going to strike a deal with the DOJ?
There is no concrete report yet that Maxwell will strike a deal with the Department of Justice, which is separately seeking to interview her.
Several X profiles claimed that Maxwell was likely to strike a deal with the DOJ in exchange for information pertaining to the Epstein Files.
While these posts cited former Epstein attorney Alan Dershowitz as the source, the lawyer's own X account has nothing of the sort mentioned.
Further, these claims seem to originate from Leading Report, and its co-founder, Patrick Webb, which reportedly spread misinformation about Covid-19.
US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, meanwhile, said that talks with Maxwell are expected to take place in the coming days. “President Trump has told us to release all credible evidence. Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say,” he said.
A lawyer for Maxwell, David Oscar Markus, said in a statement: “I can confirm that we are in discussions with the government and that Ghislaine will always testify truthfully. We are grateful to President Trump for his commitment to uncovering the truth in this case.”
(With AP and Bloomberg inputs)