Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted sex trafficker and associate of Jeffrey Epstein, has indicated a willingness to testify before Congress, but only if granted immunity and other conditions are met. In a letter sent on Tuesday to the House oversight committee, her lawyer, David Markus, outlined several non-negotiable demands.
The letter responds to a subpoena issued last week by the committee, chaired by Republican James Comer, requiring Maxwell to give a deposition at the federal prison in Tallahassee, Florida, where she is serving a 20-year sentence. Markus described testifying “from prison and without a grant of immunity” as “non-starters”.
Other conditions include that the interview not take place at the correctional facility, that the committee provide questions in advance, and that the deposition be postponed until after the resolution of her Supreme Court petition and a forthcoming habeas petition. “Ms Maxwell cannot risk further criminal exposure in a politically charged environment without formal immunity,” the letter states.
Markus initially said Maxwell would invoke her Fifth Amendment rights, but added that the defence hoped to find “a fair and safe path forward” to cooperate. The letter also contains a plea for clemency, suggesting Maxwell would be “eager” to testify openly in Washington if granted clemency.
In a statement, a committee spokesperson said it would respond to the letter but “will not consider granting congressional immunity for her testimony”. The development comes amid growing pressure on the Trump administration to release more Epstein-related documents, following a bipartisan backlash after the justice department declined to do so earlier this month.
