Leon Black Sues Top House Democrat Over Epstein Comments
The billionaire investor filed a defamation suit against Rep. Robert Garcia, citing remarks about his role in Jeffrey Epstein's crimes.
By Ibrahim Howard ·
Leon Black filed a defamation lawsuit on Wednesday against Rep. Robert Garcia, the California Democrat who leads the House Oversight Committee. Black, a former Wall Street private equity executive, sued Garcia in the Southern District of New York. He alleged that Garcia knowingly and willfully lied about him and damaged his reputation.
The lawsuit cites specific comments Garcia made regarding Black's connection to Jeffrey Epstein. The suit claims Garcia stated that Black was at the center of Epstein's crimes and was directly involved. Black disputes these characterizations in his new filing.
Garcia's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the new lawsuit. In September, Garcia responded to a previous suit Black filed against the committee. At that time, Garcia stated that Black funded Epstein's abuse and trafficking of women. He also noted that multiple women accused Black of sexual assault and called his unwillingness to cooperate unacceptable.
Black's spokesperson issued a statement on Wednesday to address the new allegations. The spokesperson wrote that Black has never abused a woman, has never been with an underage woman, and has never been involved with sex trafficking. The statement added that Black never paid Epstein for women.
The legal battle comes as Black faces scrutiny from the Republican-led Oversight Committee. The committee unanimously voted in September to hold Black in contempt of Congress. This action followed his refusal to comply with subpoenas issued after he left a voluntary interview before it concluded. Black sued the committee to block the subpoenas, a case that is still being litigated.
Black stepped down from Apollo Global Management in 2021 after an independent review of his ties to Epstein. That review found he was not involved in Epstein's criminal activities, a finding Black has supported. The Justice Department said on September 16 that the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia would carefully review the contempt referral. No charges have been filed against Black.
Garcia is expected to remain in a leadership role as Democrats take control of the House in January. He is poised to become the new chair of the Oversight Committee.
