Epstein Survivors Applaud Leon Black Contempt Vote, Urge Comer To Pursue Dershowitz, Blanche: 'No One Is Above the Law'

Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell have applauded a bipartisan House committee vote recommending that billionaire Leon Black be held in contempt and urged Chairman James Comer to show the same resolve in seeking testimony from Alan Dershowitz and Attorney General Todd Blanche.

In a statement shared Wednesday on X by journalist Aaron Parnas, the survivors praised the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee after its unanimous 41-0 vote advancing a resolution recommending that the full House hold Black in contempt of Congress for defying subpoenas in its Epstein investigation.

'No one is above the law,' the survivors said. 'Wealth, power and proximity to Jeffrey Epstein cannot be allowed to shield anyone from scrutiny.'

They added: 'Chairman Comer and the committee have taken an important step with Leon Black. We applaud his leadership and urge him to keep going.'

Survivors Want Dershowitz and Blanche Questioned

The statement specifically called on Comer to secure testimony from Dershowitz, Epstein's former lawyer, and Blanche over separate areas of the congressional investigation.

Dershowitz was scheduled for a transcribed interview with the committee on 20 July but did not appear. Comer later called the absence 'unacceptable', saying Dershowitz's lawyer had not provided an explanation despite repeated contacts from committee staff.

Dershowitz was part of Epstein's legal team during negotiations surrounding the controversial federal non-prosecution agreement that preceded Epstein's 2008 state guilty plea. Court records show Dershowitz participated in discussions with federal prosecutors over provisions of that agreement.

Dershowitz has denied wrongdoing relating to Epstein. The survivors also pressed Comer to obtain testimony from Blanche about the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein files.

Comer said in June that he hoped Blanche would appear before the committee as part of its investigation into the government's handling of the Epstein files. Blanche became US attorney general in August.

Black Contempt Fight Moves Towards Full House

Black, the billionaire co-founder and former chief executive of Apollo Global Management, appeared voluntarily before investigators on 26 June but later failed to appear for a subpoenaed deposition scheduled for 3 September and challenged the committee's subpoenas in federal court.

An Apollo-commissioned independent review conducted by law firm Dechert previously found that Black paid Epstein $158 million between 2012 and 2017 for tax, estate-planning and other related services. The review said it found no evidence that Black was involved in Epstein's criminal activities.

Black has also denied participating in or knowing about Epstein's sexual abuse and trafficking. His attorneys called the contempt proceedings a 'complete abomination' and accused the committee of abusing its authority.

If the full House approves the resolution, it would refer the matter to the Justice Department, which would decide whether to pursue prosecution.

Survivors Urge Comer To 'Keep Going'

For the survivors behind Wednesday's statement, Black's case should be a starting point, not an endpoint.

Their message urged Comer and the committee to continue pursuing testimony as part of the broader Epstein investigation, specifically pointing to Dershowitz and Blanche as figures they believe lawmakers should still hear from.

The survivors framed their appeal around the principle that wealth, influence and proximity to Epstein should not prevent congressional scrutiny.

Their message also reflected years of frustration among Epstein survivors seeking greater transparency about the people and institutions surrounding the disgraced financier and the government's handling of his case.

'No one is above the law,' the survivors said. 'We applaud his leadership and urge him to keep going.'