Ghislaine Maxwell May Plead the Fifth After Congress Subpoena: Lawyer
Maxwell's lawyer, David Oscar Markus, told the Daily Beast that it 'remains a big if' as to whether Maxwell will plead the Fifth to prevent self-incrimination.
'If Ms. Maxwell agrees to testify before Congress and not take the 5th—and that remains a big if—she would testify truthfully, as she always has said she would and as she will with Mr. Blanche,' Markus said, ahead of her meeting with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.
'The truth should not be feared or preemptively dismissed. No previous prosecutor from the Southern District of New York or elsewhere has had the courage to meet with Ms. Maxwell and ask her these important questions,' Markus continued.
'So we are grateful to Mr. Blanche and his DOJ that they are approaching this with an open mind. That's how our system is supposed to work. As for the Congressional subpoena, Ms. Maxwell is taking this one step at a time. She looks forward to her meeting with the Department of Justice, and that discussion will help inform how she proceeds.'
When asked how it would view Maxwell pleading the Fifth, the White House referred the Daily Beast to the Justice Department, which did not immediately respond.
Earlier Wednesday, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer issued the subpoena to Maxwell, which proposes that she be deposed August 11 in the low security women's prison in Florida where she has been serving her 20-year-sentence for sex trafficking and conspiracy to recruit underage girls for sex acts.
Maxwell's testimony is significant enough that GOP Rep. Scott Perry has urged 'immediate action' from the Federal Bureau of Prisons to ensure her safety, in light of Epstein's 2019 jail cell death following his arrest for sex trafficking.
Looming over Maxwell's testimony as well as her meeting with Blanche is how Trump, who wished Ghislaine 'well' after her 2020 arrest, has the ability to pardon her.
This fact has led some commentators to question the veracity of what Maxwell would end up telling Congress, if anything.
'The only reason for Maxwell's criminal defense attorney to talk to Todd Blanche is to get her out of prison,' MSNBC anchor Lawrence O'Donnell said Tuesday on The Last Word. 'Any criminal defense lawyer would be able to tell Ghislaine Maxwell exactly what she has to say to get out of prison.'
'She has to say Donald Trump knew nothing about it, knew nothing about what we were doing to those girls,' O'Donnell continued. 'And it would be very helpful to Donald Trump if Ghislaine Maxwell was also willing to say something incriminating about other prominent people who knew Jeffrey Epstein, like maybe Bill Clinton.'
The president, meanwhile, has been trying to distract his base by tapping into culture war topics like the football team once known as the Washington Redskins and by launching attacks on his political opponents. But bombshell reports on his relationship with Epstein have made the socialites' interconnected pasts hard to ignore.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Who Would Benefit the Most From Trump's $1K Baby Savings Accounts?
Now that President Donald Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' has been signed into law, many families with newborns can expect to receive $1,000 to invest in their child's future. Referred to as 'Trump Accounts,' they're designed to encourage families to begin investing in a child's future from birth and enjoy the benefits of compound interest. Read Next: Explore More: But is everyone really going to benefit from this plan? Let's explore the details of these Trump Accounts and who they could be most useful for. Who Is Eligible for the $1K? With these accounts, every child born a U.S. citizen with a Social Security number between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028, will receive a $1,000 deposit from the U.S. government into the account. Find Out: How Will Trump Accounts Work? Setting up your newborn for a Trump Account can be done in a couple of different ways. Parents or guardians can open the account in their child's name. If not, the Treasury Department could open it, per Kiplinger. Once the account is open, $1,000 will be deposited for those who qualify. There are some restrictions on these accounts that parents should be aware of. There will be a $5,000 yearly contribution limit for each year before the child turns 18. No distributions are allowed until the first day of the year when the child turns 18. After the child turns 18, the account will follow traditional IRA rules. All contributions made to the account before the child's 18th year will be made with after-tax dollars. This means parents will not be able to deduct their contributions from their taxes. Accounts can be used for college expenses, to start a business or to purchase a home. Who Would Benefit From Trump Accounts? Who would benefit from these Trump Accounts will be something that's heavily debated. 'The $1,000 baby savings account is a simple but powerful idea,' said Tim Rosenberger, fellow at the Manhattan Institute. 'It gives every American child, not just those born into privilege, a small but meaningful stake in the nation's future. That's the kind of ownership society that puts America first.' According to Rosenberg, this could benefit working families. 'A universal savings account at birth offers a new kind of opportunity infrastructure. It won't solve every problem, but it's a strong first signal that the country is serious about helping working families build intergenerational stability,' he said. While these accounts may be a good first step, however, they may not always provide the best option for saving for a child's future. 'Everyone eligible for the $1,000 should make sure they get it, but that alone is not enough to set aside for your kids' education or set them up for generational wealth,' said Dave Fortin, co-founder and investment advisor with FutureMoney. '529 plans are a better option than Trump accounts if you're saving for education. When you make a qualified withdrawal from a 529 plan, it's tax-free and penalty-free. Trump accounts are tax-deferred, meaning when the withdrawal eventually happens, the money counts as ordinary income, so income taxes are owed.' Ultimately, while all eligible families should take advantage of the free money being offered, it's important to consider the long-term implications. Before making additional contributions, make sure the account aligns with your child's savings goals. Editor's note on political coverage: GOBankingRates is nonpartisan and strives to cover all aspects of the economy objectively and present balanced reports on politically focused finance stories. You can find more coverage of this topic on More From GOBankingRates 3 Luxury SUVs That Will Have Massive Price Drops in Summer 2025 25 Places To Buy a Home If You Want It To Gain Value 6 Big Shakeups Coming to Social Security in 2025 This article originally appeared on Who Would Benefit the Most From Trump's $1K Baby Savings Accounts? Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Kamala Harris Only Uses Wired Headphones For This One Reason That Has Me Genuinely Terrified
Cbs Photo Archive / Getty Images Kamala Harris is back in the statement on the California governor's race and the fight ahead. She also announced a new book about her 107 days running for president called... "107 Days." @nbcnewsFormer VP Kamala Harris on appeared on 'The Late Show' with Stephen Colbert.♬ original sound - nbcnews - nbcnews">And on Thursday, she appeared on "Colbert" and explained exactly why she wasn't running for public office right now. Former VP Kamala Harris on appeared on 'The Late Show' with Stephen Colbert. Cbs Photo Archive / Getty Images "I don't want to go back in the system. I think it's broken," she doesn't care how much you clown her but Auntie 'VP and Senator Who Was on The Intelligence Committee' Kamala is telling you to use wired ear pods 😂 CBS "I know I've been teased about this, but I like these kinds of earpods that have the thing [she points to the wire] because I served on the Senate Intelligence Committee," she said. "I have been in classified briefings, and I'm telling you, don't be on the train using your earpods thinking somebody can't listen to your conversation." CBS "I'm just telling you that it's a little more secure." ABC Uhhhhhhh, okay, then. Wired it is! Though to be fair, I'm sure my hackers would LOVE how much I listen to the Sister "Act" soundtrack.
Washington Post
29 minutes ago
- Washington Post
She owes a private school $27,000. Her daughter never attended.
The single mother stood alone before the judge, trying to convince him she shouldn't have to pay for an education her child never received. Money was tight for Bianca Johnson, who was balancing a full-time job as an after-school care director with a full load of college classes in pursuit of a teaching career, and she had been counting on financial aid when she signed a contract to enroll her daughter at Sandy Spring Friends School. The private Quaker school, on a leafy campus in suburban Maryland, seemed like a perfect fit for her daughter, Teagan, a bubbly preschooler who was already starting to sound out words.
