Ghislaine Maxwell has offered to testify before Congress under major conditions, including full immunity from prosecution.
The move comes after House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer subpoenaed the convicted Epstein accomplice to appear next month, CNN reported. In a letter sent to Comer on Tuesday, Maxwell’s attorneys said she originally planned to invoke her Fifth Amendment rights but is now willing to cooperate “if a fair and safe path forward can be established.”
They argue Maxwell’s ongoing appeal to the Supreme Court could be compromised by any testimony she gives.
“Any testimony she provides now could compromise her constitutional rights, prejudice her legal claims, and potentially taint a future jury pool,” the letter states.
Her legal team also accused some lawmakers of prejudging Maxwell without hearing her testimony or reviewing evidence she claims is credible.
“Compounding these concerns are public comments from members of Congress that appear to have prejudged Ms. Maxwell’s credibility without even listening to what she has to say or evaluating the extensive documentation that corroborates it,” the attorneys wrote.
The Oversight Committee quickly rejected her request for immunity.
“The Oversight Committee will respond to Ms. Maxwell’s attorney soon, but it will not consider granting congressional immunity for her testimony,” a spokeswoman said.
Comer was blunt in a previous interview with CNN.
“I don’t think there are many Republicans that want to give immunity to someone that may have been sex trafficking children,” he said.
Maxwell’s attorneys laid out a list of conditions.
They include a formal grant of immunity, no questioning inside the prison where she’s held, and advance access to all questions from the Committee.
“To prepare adequately for any congressional deposition—and to ensure accuracy and fairness—we would require the Committee’s questions in advance,” the letter reads.
“Surprise questioning would be both inappropriate and unproductive.”
They also insist the interview not be scheduled until after the Supreme Court rules on her appeal and a separate habeas petition is resolved.
The Court is not expected to act until October.
Democrats are also rejecting her terms.
“She is not going to set whatever terms that she wants,” said Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee.
“We do not support giving her the questions ahead of time,” he said.
If the demands are not met, Maxwell’s lawyers say she will once again invoke the Fifth.
But the letter ended with one final offer—an open appeal for clemency from President Donald Trump.
“Of course, in the alternative, if Ms. Maxwell were to receive clemency, she would be willing—and eager—to testify openly and honestly, in public, before Congress in Washington, D.C.,” her attorneys wrote.
“She welcomes the opportunity to share the truth and to dispel the many misconceptions and misstatements that have plagued this case from the beginning.”
Maxwell supposedly reinvented herself while serving a two-decade term for her role in Epstein’s sex crimes.
“I did a double take, because I recognized her face immediately from the news. I was like, ‘Is that who I think it is?’” said Jessica Watkins, a former Oath Keeper who was imprisoned in the same low-security Florida facility as Maxwell.
Watkins was initially sentenced to 8.5 years in jail for her role in the January 6 attack on the United States Capitol building. President Donald Trump commuted her sentence on his first day back in office earlier this year.
“We don’t talk about cases as inmates because people will think you’re a snitch,” Watkins explained. “It’s an unspoken rule among inmates. You don’t ask.”
Watkins reportedly could only remember one time when Maxwell mentioned Epstein.
“She did say that the DOJ had no interest in her until after, her exact words were until after Jeffrey, and then she paused for a second and said ‘died,’” Watkins said. “That was the only time he ever came up.”
