Lutnick claims no relationship with Epstein amid calls to step down
By David Lawder, Alexandra Alper and Courtney Rozen
WASHINGTON, Feb 10 (Reuters) - U.S Commerce Department Secretary Howard Lutnick on Tuesday sought to distance himself from Jeffrey Epstein, alleging he "barely had anything to do with" the convicted sex offender amid calls for his resignation over new revelations about ties between the two.
The U.S. Justice Department in January published millions of new files related to Epstein, including emails that showed Lutnick apparently visited Epstein’s private island for lunch years after he claimed to have cut off ties. Lutnick now faces calls from both sides of the aisle to resign.
Lutnick pushed back in a Senate hearing, saying the two men had exchanged only about 10 emails over 14 years and that a lunch with Epstein only took place because Lutnick was on a boat near his island, and added that his family was present.
"I did not have any relationship with him. I barely had anything to do with that person," he told a Senate Committee under questioning from Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen.
The hearing comes a day after Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell refused to answer questions at a deposition before the U.S. House’s Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on Monday, according to lawmakers, drawing criticism from both Republican and Democratic members of the committee.
