Travel Concessions And Member Absences Cloud Oversight Epstein Deposition Effort
The travel concessions and member absences have raised questions about the integrity of the House Oversight Committee’s efforts to impeach key witnesses in its investigation of deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The multiple depositions had limited participation from lawmakers, with lawyers sometimes taking their place.
The committee’s most recent depositions from L Brands founder Les Wexner, former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton required members to travel outside of Washington, D.C., at taxpayer expense, to accommodate witnesses.
The House Oversight Committee told the Daily Caller that agreeing to travel helped speed up depositions due to witness schedules.
“The Committee announced the Clintons’ Feb. 26-27 depositions in New York on Feb. 3, giving members ample time to plan to attend. Per House and Committee rules, Committee depositions are led by counsel, but nearly two dozen members attended the depositions in Chappaqua,” the spokeswoman said. “The Clintons obstructed their depositions for seven months and the Committee complied with the Clintons’ schedules to conduct the depositions in the most effective and efficient manner.” (RELATED: Billionaire Businessman Les Wexner Tries to Clarify His Relationship with Epstein in Congressional Testimony)
Republicans on the House Oversight Committee should not have ignored the Epstein deposition from major Republican donor Wexner. (Comer had a good excuse – scheduled oral surgery – but there are 25 other Rs on the committee.
– Greta Van Susteren (@greta) February 27, 2026
Under committee rules, depositions may be conducted by committee counsel pursuant to Rule 15. Rule 6 of the Committee Rules of the United States House of Representatives authorizes committees to “sit and act at such times and places within the United States” as may be deemed necessary, providing flexibility in where deliberations take place.
No Republican committee members attended the Ohio deposition The Wexners on February 18 even as several Democrats traveled to the event.
Chairman of the House GOP Oversight Committee James Comer said he was unable to attend due to previously planned dental surgery.
The House was also on recess Feb. 17-20, leading some committee members to prioritize travel within their districts, one member’s office told the caller.
(RELATED: Why Did Republicans Skip the Hearing for Epstein’s Billionaire Bestie Les Wexner?)
Nancy Mace: “Why would Jeffrey Epstein say you like them young?” »
Bill Clinton: “All of this is simply not true. »pic.twitter.com/K2okJw6ZoV
– Joe Rogan Podcast News (@joeroganhq) March 2, 2026
A spokeswoman for Democratic House Oversight Ranking Member Robert Garcia directed the caller to Comer in response to a request for comment on the committee’s approach. (RELATED: Nancy Mace and Hillary Clinton clash over Howard Lutnick amid fiery Epstein surveillance deposition)
“These are all great questions for Chairman Comer, who is the one who ultimately makes all of these decisions since the Republicans have the majority, for now,” Garcia’s spokeswoman said.
