[0:00]I'm going to make a few remarks on, of course, the topic of the ongoing interview with Mr.
[0:06]Gates, but also we have a variety of other information and statements to make about
[0:11]a variety of issues as it relates to the Epstein files, of which other members are
[0:15]going to discuss, including some new revelations that came out in some reporting this morning.
[0:20]So a bunch of us will discuss some different things.
[0:22]Let me just begin by saying two things.
[0:25]One on a statement by Chairman Comer this morning and then on Mr. Gates.
[0:30]Just want to just want to begin by reiterating that earlier today, Chairman Comer noted
[0:36]that he was willing to bring in Todd Blanch, the nominee for Attorney General, in front
[0:43]of the Oversight Committee.
[0:44]This is a request that our entire committee made to Chairman Comer a couple of weeks
[0:49]ago after former AG Pam Bondi put essentially most of the blame on the disastrous investigation
[0:58]that's been this investigation, docking survivors, putting them in danger, not releasing half
[1:04]the files.
[1:05]She put that on Todd Blanch.
[1:07]And so we are glad that Chairman Comer has finally been agreed to bring in Mr.
[1:12]Blanch for what we believe needs to be an under oath deposition videotaped and
[1:19]released to the American public or better yet, a actual public hearing where the media
[1:25]and the public are invited.
[1:26]That would be our preferences and so we're glad that Chairman Comer after just yesterday
[1:31]saying that it wasn't necessary that today he is saying that he wants to bring Mr.
[1:36]Blanch in and we strongly support that.
[1:39]Secondly, throughout the afternoon, so far Mr. Gates has been cooperative in answering
[1:49]our questions.
[1:52]We have said we want to talk to anyone.
[1:54]We don't care if they're a Republican, Democrat, how wealthy they are.
[1:57]If they have information about Mr. Epstein, we want to speak with them.
[2:00]Mr. Gates has discussed and provided us information about other folks that were
[2:04]in Mr. Epstein's orbit, which we want to discuss with.
[2:07]He has said to us multiple times, which he has said to the media that he himself
[2:13]did not ever realize or understand he was ever introduced to any women that then
[2:20]of course that Mr. Gates interacted with, that there was no abuse, as far as Mr.
[2:23]Gates knew of.
[2:24]He has said to the media, he said to us as well, that will be discussed by some
[2:27]of our members.
[2:28]But let me also just finally say that it's important to note that Mr.
[2:32]Gates does understand that he was around people and those employed by Mr.
[2:38]Gates were also abused.
[2:39]And so he was around people that were actually abused.
[2:43]And that was recognized in some of the discussion that we had in sight.
[2:45]So with that, over to Mr.
[2:47]Lynch.
[2:48]Thank you, Mr. Garcia.
[2:50]One of the frustrations throughout this investigation that we have had is that
[2:54]the White House and especially Todd Blanch, who is now the AG nominee, has
[3:01]been interfering or obstructing.
[3:05]Remember, it was Todd Blanch who took Ghislaine Maxwell, the single person
[3:11]who could shed the most light on all the people who were involved in the
[3:16]abuse of these women over these years.
[3:18]And they took her out of a maximum security prison and put her in an easier,
[3:23]more, more permissive environment.
[3:26]And she continues to refuse to cooperate with the committee or offer
[3:30]any helpful information.
[3:33]So we view Todd Blanch as being a major obstacle in this investigation.
[3:40]With respect to Mr.
[3:41]Gates, we continually press him on the point that his relationship, his
[3:47]multi-year relationship with Jeffrey Epstein began after Mr.
[3:55]Epstein was already a registered sex offender and had been convicted of
[4:00]crimes against women.
[4:02]So this investigation is going to continue.
[4:06]Again, we think that probably, well, many of us think that probably the
[4:11]most helpful thing that Mr.
[4:13]Gates has provided is that he has named a number of individuals who are
[4:17]in key positions during this effort to get into the Gates Foundation and
[4:25]influence Mr.
[4:26]Gates himself as part of Jeffrey Epstein's conspiracy or
[4:35]attempt to gain power and resources for his operations.
[4:40]That's all I got.
[4:41]Great.
[4:41]Good morning, everyone.
[4:44]I think we are all glad to hear that Mr.
[4:47]Comer has had a change of heart in ensuring that Blanch is brought before
[4:52]this committee.
[4:53]We want to make clear that he must be brought before this committee under
[4:57]oath in a deposition that is recorded for the American pool to see.
[5:02]And this is separate from his confirmation process.
[5:06]Todd Blanch is at the heart of the coverup of this case, as was revealed,
[5:11]especially in the New York Times Explosive reporting today about meetings
[5:16]that were held in which Todd Blanch as the president's personal attorney
[5:20]and deputy AG was working with others, including the vice president,
[5:25]to help to try to cover up this case.
[5:27]Now, with regards to Bill Gates' interview today, what we have learned
[5:32]is that Mr.
[5:32]Gates saw this as an opportunity to interact with a financial advisor who
[5:38]had access to vast amounts of wealth that Mr.
[5:40]Gates was interested in potentially forming partnerships to bring donors
[5:46]into his global health work.
[5:48]And so he saw his relationship and conversations with Jeffrey Epstein as
[5:53]a means to potentially get wealthy donors to donate philanthropically to
[5:57]Mr.
[5:58]Gates global health work.
[5:59]He admitted that he knew of Mr.
[6:02]Epstein's reputation.
[6:03]He admitted that he knew that he had been convicted of sexual crimes.
[6:07]But ultimately, in his words, he viewed this narrow relationship as being an
[6:12]acceptable means to access wealthy donors.
[6:15]So obviously we have a lot of questions, but we're glad that he's
[6:18]cooperating with the investigation.
[6:23]You know, we are supposed to be the oversight committee.
[6:26]We are supposed to make sure that oversight, but we have been doing a
[6:31]lot of obstruction.
[6:32]And when I say we, it's more so like Chairman Comer, if you've noticed, we
[6:36]haven't actually had any oversight committee hearings because as the
[6:39]reporting has come out, we know that there were situation room meetings.
[6:43]Now the only one that we have really heard about as it relates to a
[6:46]situation room meeting and the Epstein files was when they were trying
[6:50]to berate one of their own members.
[6:53]That was when the gentle lady from Colorado had to be called in and
[6:57]relates to one of her votes specifically on the Epstein files.
[7:00]Right now, we are not conducting oversight.
[7:03]The only thing that is happening is that obstruction is being conducted.
[7:08]Right now, I am shocked that the chairman admitted that he went to
[7:13]Blinch now, maybe he just said that because I don't know.
[7:16]He's got an election coming up.
[7:18]And as we know that the situation room meetings, they were about the
[7:21]fact that there was a quote unquote MAGA civil war that was erupting
[7:25]over this, but how about doing your job?
[7:28]Our job is oversight over the federal government.
[7:31]We can't conduct oversight over anything else simply because they
[7:35]don't want to deal with the Epstein files right now.
[7:38]And that's exactly what we should be doing.
[7:40]So I applaud my colleagues because even though they don't want to have any
[7:45]hearings, we are still showing up for every single TI, we are showing up
[7:49]for every deposition that we were able to secure before they shut us
[7:53]down by shutting down the committee hearings.
[8:01]Thank you.
[8:01]Emily Randall from Washington state.
[8:05]You know, I am grateful that Mr.
[8:08]Gates has been forthcoming and cooperative in answering questions.
[8:13]But I think some of his answers show us that many of the men who
[8:18]engaged with Jeffrey Epstein only saw what they wanted to see in their
[8:25]interactions, you know, they didn't, Mr.
[8:27]Gates has said that he didn't see any abuse.
[8:31]And we know that some of the women who were present working for Mr.
[8:36]Epstein, who were on planes were being trafficked and being abused.
[8:41]Maybe not in front of Mr.
[8:44]Gates' eyes, not in front of the eyes of many people, but we've seen men
[8:47]willing to turn away to not accept what we now know is happening.
[8:54]And so our work is to continue asking questions, both of Mr.
[8:59]Gates and, and anyone who was present with Mr.
[9:02]Epstein, but also to make sure that we hold ultimately accountable Todd
[9:08]Blanch and this administration massive cover up and find true justice and
[9:13]truth for these survivors on on dates today.
[9:18]There's been a lot of apologies from him.
[9:20]He's sorry that he associated with Jeffrey Epstein so much.
[9:24]He was able to use Gates' name in order to project power and influence.
[9:30]But in the end, what's done is done.
[9:32]And what happened happened.
[9:33]And Jeffrey Epstein associated with people like Bill Gates because he
[9:38]wanted to use their names and reputations and Bill Gates ticket to
[9:42]getting more money to his foundation.
[9:43]That's why they associated.
[9:45]And so we're going to hear more from him today on Todd Blanch.
[9:48]He has to come in and he has to testify under oath oral committee.
[9:52]I have serious concerns that some of the things that Pam Bondi said to
[9:55]us was misleading at us, if not untruthful, based on the reporting today.
[10:00]We asked her straight up whether Donald Trump's name was flagged when
[10:03]they were going through the files, whether they were looking for his
[10:06]name and trying to protect Donald Trump through the process.
[10:08]It seems like that was the case, but she told us she didn't recall.
[10:12]Even if you say you didn't recall to our committee, that is
[10:14]lying if you do recall.
[10:15]And so we have more questions now for the department of justice
[10:18]and certainly for Todd Blanch.
[10:22]There has long been two different systems of justice in this country.
[10:26]One for the very rich, powerful and well connected in the Epstein class
[10:31]and another for everybody else.
[10:32]And that's what today's testimony so many others have made very clear.
[10:37]We know that over the course of decades, countless women came forward
[10:42]to the FBI and to the department of justice and reported rape and
[10:46]abuse at the hands of Jeffrey Epstein that even after 2008, even
[10:50]after that sweetheart plea deal, when people knew he was a registered
[10:54]sex offender, his proximity to power, his proximity to so many
[10:59]important, rich and powerful people legitimized him and surrounding
[11:05]himself and being able to continue surrounding himself with those types
[11:08]of people allowed him to abuse so many other young girls, children
[11:14]and women for years to come.
[11:16]This is the system that we have to change and fundamentally transform.
[11:21]Look at right now, Congress has had to step in because the department
[11:25]of justice refuses to do its job.
[11:27]So I think that the most important thing moving forward is for us to
[11:32]continue this investigation, but we know from what has come forward
[11:36]through these testimonies and interviews, but also through the
[11:40]expose today about the white house.
[11:42]We will have to do all of these interviews again under oath in front
[11:47]of the American people, and we will have to go after people like Todd
[11:51]Blanch, like Pam Bondi and like Donald Trump himself, who have
[11:55]enabled and perpetrated this cover up.
[11:57]So we have to make sure we prosecute the people who were part of
[12:01]the crimes and investigate those, but also prosecute for the most
[12:05]egregious coverup in American history.
[12:13]Unverified allegations related to specifically there's draft emails
[12:18]where Jeffrey Epstein supposedly was writing to himself.
[12:22]They were never sent.
[12:24]I'm wondering if you were asking him about those emails in there,
[12:26]specifically whether Epstein ever sent Bill Gates up with women
[12:30]or whether whether Epstein ever gave Bill Gates medication to
[12:35]hide an STD for misconduct.
[12:41]You should be videotaped immediately.
[12:44]About those emails, I think he'll continue to be asked about those
[12:48]emails. I think what we can say right now is that Mr.
[12:51]Gates does believe that Mr.
[12:52]Epstein would write emails that were oftentimes untrue.
[12:56]I think he spoke to that in some of the questioning that he
[12:59]denies some obviously some of those claims and that he felt that
[13:02]Mr. Epstein would write emails to himself and just say things
[13:06]that were not true or as Mr.
[13:09]Gates remembers.
[13:09]And so I think to answer that question, Mr.
[13:12]Gates also was very clear that he was never introduced to women
[13:15]or girls or or anyone underage by Mr.
[13:18]Epstein. He made that clear multiple times, but he'll
[13:21]continue to be asked about those emails he was brought up.
[13:23]And to the questions.
[13:25]It sounds like one of the big things in this foundation are these
[13:32]other hypo vile businessmen.
[13:34]Can you categorize?
[13:35]Yeah, I think that he didn't mention a few names of folks
[13:39]involved within the Gates Foundation or the Gates Orbit that
[13:42]we're interested in speaking with.
[13:44]Also reiterated some names of folks that we've heard before.
[13:49]I'll just say, for example, Larry Summers, of which he was involved
[13:53]with in other meetings with Mr.
[13:54]Epstein or other activities who we have spoken with.
[13:57]And look, Mr.
[13:59]Summers is someone that we have this committee has not had a
[14:01]chance to speak with that we would like to speak with.
[14:04]It seems that his name continues to come up as someone that was
[14:08]that was fairly close to Jeffrey Epstein.
[14:09]And so that was an example of some of the names that Mr.
[14:13]Gates is giving us that we want to continue to hear from and
[14:15]ask questions.
[14:18]Go ahead in there.
[14:35]I think any witness on occasion is going to be a little
[14:37]combative.
[14:38]He is pushing back on certain things.
[14:39]I think you'll see that in the transcript.
[14:41]But he's answering the questions.
[14:43]And so I think that it's I think I think he is being cooperative
[14:46]questions.
[14:49]That one thing that you've heard pretty often is that Mr.
[14:53]Gates was aware that Jeffrey Epstein had been convicted and for a
[14:58]horrific crime and continued to interact with him to seek money for
[15:02]his foundation.
[15:04]And I think that obviously I think we would agree was a horrific
[15:08]judgment call.
[15:09]It's not something that I think most the average person thinks was
[15:13]someone that somebody that somebody should be doing.
[15:15]And that's something I think that Mr.
[15:16]Gates has to atone for.
[15:19]I'm sure that he's doing that through his foundation and his
[15:20]family.
[15:31]This is actually the question line that I pressed primarily with
[15:34]Mr.
[15:34]Gates on the language that he used is that in spite of knowing
[15:38]Mr.
[15:38]Epstein's reputation he saw a narrow role for accessing potential
[15:43]donors for his global health initiative.
[15:49]It's just he's too strong of a language.
[15:54]But I felt that getting billions of dollars was OK.
[16:21]Well we're going to wrap this up so yeah.
[16:29]Yeah we agree.
[16:30]We want we want these we want public hearings.
[16:34]We want this videotaped.
[16:35]We want these under oath.
[16:36]We want these religiously American public.
[16:38]That's a decision that Chairman Comer the majority get to make by
[16:41]being in the majority.
[16:42]And we think it's very unfortunate this continues has got
[16:45]to end.
[16:45]We open these to the American public.
[16:47]We're going to we're going to take one last question.
[16:49]We're going to wrap this up.
[16:49]Did you remember your question.
[16:51]OK.
[17:14]The matter of affairs that that Epstein.
[17:20]Of Mr.
[17:20]Gates.
[17:21]And when exactly who he has his.
[17:24]Suspects.
[17:25]We also have ideas about what might have been.
[17:56]With women.
[17:59]Men and so the theme of blackmail.