By Islam El-Sakka
Billionaire Leon Black filed a defamation lawsuit Wednesday against Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, over comments Garcia made linking Black to Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes.
Lawsuit allegations
The suit, filed in the Southern District of New York, alleges that Garcia “has knowingly and willfully lied about Leon Black and defamed him.” It cites Garcia’s statements that Black was “at the center” and “directly involved” with Epstein’s crimes, and that Black “funded Epstein’s abuse and trafficking of women.” Garcia also referenced multiple women who have accused Black of sexual assault.
Committee investigation and contempt vote
The House Oversight Committee, currently Republican-led, has spearheaded an investigation into Epstein. In September, the committee unanimously voted to hold Black in contempt of Congress after he refused to comply with subpoenas for his testimony and for nondisclosure agreements related to Epstein. Black previously sued the committee to block those subpoenas; that case remains pending.
Black’s denial and prior review
A spokesperson for Black said Wednesday that he “has never abused a woman; he has never been with an underage woman; he has never been involved with sex trafficking; and, he never paid Epstein for women.” Black stepped down as co-founder of Apollo Global Management in 2021 after an independent review of his ties to Epstein. The review concluded that Black was not involved in Epstein’s criminal activities, though Black has denied any wrongdoing.
Political context
With Democrats set to take control of the House in January, Garcia is poised to become the new chair of the Oversight Committee. He is currently the panel’s ranking Democrat. A spokesperson for Garcia did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit.
Justice Department referral
The House later voted to hold Black in contempt of Congress. The Justice Department said on Sept. 16 that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia would review the referral carefully and would not hesitate to pursue additional cases where evidence supports. No charges have been filed against Black.
