Ghislaine Maxwell appealed to Congress on Tuesday to push for a pardon so she will “testify brazenly and actually” in regards to the late intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein, in keeping with a letter from her legal professional.
The overt pitch for clemency got here in a letter to the Home Oversight Committee which had subpoenaed Maxwell for testimony and information.
In a response to Chairman James Comer, Maxwell’s protection legal professional David Markus mentioned she would invoke her Fifth Modification proper and decline to testify except the committee agreed to grant her immunity and interview her outdoors jail.
“Ms. Maxwell can’t danger additional felony publicity in a politically charged surroundings with out formal immunity. Neither is a jail setting conducive to eliciting truthful and full testimony,” Markus wrote.
This undated trial proof picture obtained December 8, 2021, from the U.S. District Court docket for the Southern District of New York reveals British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell and U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein.
US District Court docket for the Southern District of New York/AFP by way of Getty Pictures
Maxwell was convicted of intercourse trafficking and different expenses in 2021 after prosecutors mentioned that, from 1994 to 2004, she labored along with Epstein to determine ladies, groom them, after which transport them to Epstein’s properties in New York, Florida, New Mexico, and elsewhere, the place they had been then sexually abused.
Markus on Tuesday additionally requested the committee to supply questions prematurely and postpone the interview till after the U.S. Supreme Court docket decides whether or not to take up Maxwell’s enchantment of her conviction.
“After all, within the different, if Ms. Maxwell had been to obtain clemency, she could be keen—and keen—to testify brazenly and actually, in public, earlier than Congress in Washington, D.C. She welcomes the chance to share the reality and to dispel the numerous misconceptions and misstatements which have plagued this case from the start,” Markus mentioned.
President Donald Trump mentioned Monday nobody had approached him a couple of pardon for Maxwell although he reiterated his energy to grant one. Home Speaker Mike Johnson instructed NBC on Sunday pardoning Maxwell could be a mistake.
Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell attend de Grisogono Sponsors The 2005 Wall Avenue Live performance Collection Benefitting Wall Avenue Rising, with a Efficiency by Rod Stewart at Cipriani Wall Avenue on March 15, 2005 in New York Metropolis. (Picture by Joe Schildhorn/Patrick McMullan by way of Getty Pictures)
Patrick Mcmullan/Patrick McMullan by way of Getty Picture
The letter comes after Maxwell and her lawyer met final week with Deputy Lawyer Normal Todd Blanche. Maxwell answered questions for about 9 hours over two days after being granted a restricted type of immunity, sources instructed ABC Information.
Blanche has not launched any details about their dialog however says he’ll achieve this on the correct time.
On the time, Markus instructed ABC Information she didn’t ask for a pardon and one was not supplied. Nevertheless, Markus mentioned it’s no secret Maxwell is searching for “reduction” from her 20 yr jail sentence.
A Home Oversight Committee spokeswoman on Tuesday dominated out the thought of granting Maxwell immunity.
“The Oversight Committee will reply to Ms. Maxwell’s legal professional quickly, however it is not going to contemplate granting congressional immunity for her testimony,” the spokeswoman mentioned in an announcement.
