Ghislaine Maxwell Seeks Immunity Ahead of Congressional Testimony

Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted sex trafficker and former associate of Jeffrey Epstein, has expressed her willingness to testify before Congress, contingent upon specific conditions, including the grant of immunity. In a letter addressed to James Comer, the Republican chair of the House Oversight Committee, Maxwell's attorney, David Markus, outlined the conditions that must be met for her to cooperate with the congressional inquiry.

Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence for her role in Epstein's sex trafficking operation. The House Oversight Committee recently issued a subpoena requiring her deposition next month at a federal prison in Tallahassee, Florida, where she is incarcerated. However, Markus indicated that Maxwell's initial reaction to the subpoena was to invoke her Fifth Amendment rights, which would allow her to refuse to testify in order to avoid self-incrimination.

According to Markus, Maxwell is actively pursuing post-conviction relief, including petitions before the United States Supreme Court and a forthcoming habeas petition. He emphasized that any testimony she provides could potentially jeopardize her legal claims and prejudice future jury pools.

Despite these concerns, the letter conveys Maxwell's desire to find a path to cooperation with Congress, provided that her conditions are satisfied. Among these conditions are a formal grant of immunity, the relocation of the interview away from the correctional facility, advance access to the committee's questions, and the postponement of the deposition until after the resolution of her Supreme Court petition and habeas petition.

Markus stated, "Ms. Maxwell cannot risk further criminal exposure in a politically charged environment without formal immunity." He added that if her demands are not met, she would have no choice but to invoke her Fifth Amendment rights.

A spokesperson for the House Oversight Committee stated that they would respond to Maxwell's attorney soon, but they would not entertain the idea of granting congressional immunity for her testimony.

Additionally, the letter included a plea for clemency, stating that Maxwell would be willing to testify openly and honestly before Congress in Washington, D.C., if granted clemency. This request comes amid increasing pressure on the Trump administration to provide more clarity regarding the Epstein case. Recently, the Department of Justice faced bipartisan criticism for its decision to withhold further documents related to the Epstein investigation, despite earlier commitments to disclose more information.

Maxwell's situation highlights the ongoing complexities surrounding the Epstein case and raises questions about the potential implications of her testimony for other involved parties. As investigations continue and public interest remains high, the unfolding developments in Maxwell's case will likely shape future discussions about accountability and justice in high-profile cases involving sex trafficking and abuse.