The House of Representatives recently initiated a new phase in its conflict with billionaire Leon Black, an associate of Jeffrey Epstein. On Wednesday, the House voted to hold Black, the former CEO of Apollo Global Management, in criminal contempt of Congress. This action came after Black refused to comply with a subpoena demanding that he produce all non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in his possession that mention Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell.
On the same day, the chair of the congressional committee investigating Epstein’s NDAs proposed legislation designed to enable sexual abuse victims to void their non-disclosure agreements. James Comer, the chair of the House Oversight Committee, stated that the proposed bill would protect survivors of sexual abuse and other witnesses, ensuring they can speak freely about their experiences.
“During our investigation, we’ve learned how powerful men weaponized nondisclosure agreements to silence survivors of sexual abuse,” Comer, a Kentucky Republican, said in a statement Wednesday.
Themoneytimes reported earlier this year that several of Epstein’s accusers have entered into confidential settlements with associates of Epstein, whom they also accused of misconduct, according to three people familiar with these settlements. These settlements contain NDAs, the sources noted. One individual told Themoneytimes they had direct knowledge of settlements involving four of Epstein’s friends, who faced sexual misconduct accusations from over 20 women collectively.
In June, the House Oversight Committee issued two subpoenas to Black after he declined to answer questions about NDAs during a closed-door interview regarding his relationship with Epstein. Black, who paid over $150 million to Epstein for financial services, walked out of that voluntary session.
Rather than comply with the subpoenas, Black sued the committee this month. One subpoena requested his NDAs, while the other compelled him to provide testimony under oath in a deposition. Black has claimed he was unaware of Epstein’s sexual abuse of women. His lawsuit asserts that the committee lacked a “valid legislative purpose” for the “sweeping and intrusive subpoena” served on a private citizen.
Epstein died in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges. Ghislaine Maxwell received a 20-year prison sentence in 2021 after a Manhattan jury convicted her of trafficking minors to Epstein for sexual abuse.
If enacted, Comer’s proposed legislation, named the Survivor’s Voice Protection Act, would nullify nondisclosure clauses that prevent sexual abuse victims from discussing their experiences or that restrict any other person from revealing relevant facts. Additionally, the bill would establish a legal obligation to report suspected sexual grooming of minors to law enforcement.
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have not yet announced their stance on the proposed NDA legislation.
The House’s unanimous vote on Wednesday to hold Black in contempt empowers House Speaker Mike Johnson to refer the matter to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution. Black’s legal team condemned the vote, arguing that the committee’s subpoenas were unfairly targeted.
“The Committee has continued to insist on looking for information that does not exist,” attorneys Susan Estrich and Aaron Cutler stated on Wednesday. They explained that the committee sought to question Black about every NDA he had ever signed, including those with business partners and individuals he had never met.
While individuals bound by non-disclosure agreements can be legally compelled to testify about their experiences via a subpoena, this does not apply to voluntary interviews with Congress. Some of Epstein’s other associates, including Bill Gates, stated in voluntary interviews that they did not sign any NDAs with Epstein or his victims.
Although many states enacted bans on NDAs related to sexual abuse during the #MeToo movement following reports on Harvey Weinstein, no federal ban currently exists.
This story has been updated.