Leon Black Sues Robert Garcia for $7.5 Million Over Epstein Comments

Leon Black filed a defamation lawsuit against California Representative Robert Garcia on Wednesday, seeking $7.5 million in damages. Black accuses Garcia of making false statements on national television that tied him directly to the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein.

The lawsuit was filed in federal court in New York. It comes nearly two months after the House voted to hold Black in contempt of Congress. The oversight committee had issued subpoenas demanding documents and a deposition regarding Epstein. As of 5 November, the Department of Justice had not brought contempt charges against Black. Garcia’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Black’s name appeared frequently in the Epstein files. The New York Times reported that Black paid Epstein $170 million between 2013 and 2017 for tax and estate planning services. Black sat for a voluntary interview with the oversight committee in late June. The session ended abruptly after lawmakers from both parties said he refused to answer questions about non-disclosure agreements. Black has denied wrongdoing and stated he knew nothing of Epstein’s crimes.

The committee, led by Republican chairman James Comer, subsequently issued two subpoenas. One demanded all non-disclosure agreements to which Black was a party. The other ordered him to return for a deposition. Black skipped his scheduled 3 September deposition and did not produce all the requested agreements. He previously sued Comer and the committee, arguing the subpoenas were invalid and exceeded the panel's authority.

In the new filing, Black alleges that Garcia went on national television shortly after the June interview. Garcia claimed that Black was at the center of Epstein’s crimes. Several weeks later, Garcia returned to television and asserted that Black was one of the last people to interact with Epstein before the financier died in jail in 2019. Garcia also said he had spoken to survivors who named Black as involved in direct abuse and Epstein’s trafficking network. Black contends those claims are false and that Garcia knew they were false.

The constitution’s speech or debate clause generally shields members of Congress from defamation suits. However, the protection typically does not cover comments made to the media. In September, Garcia responded to Black’s earlier suit by claiming the billionaire funded Epstein’s abuse and trafficking of women. A spokesperson for Black countered that he has never abused a woman, never been with an underage woman, and never paid Epstein for women.

Garcia is poised to take over as chair of the House oversight committee following the midterm elections. At a news conference on Wednesday, he said the panel would focus on four issues come January, with Epstein among them.