Garcia calls the contempt action "an important step towards justice and accountability"
Robert GarciaRanking Member of the House Oversight Committee, in a press release
In a press release after the House agreed to the resolution, Ranking Member Robert Garcia said Black had continued to defy two congressional subpoenas. Garcia called the action "an important step towards justice and accountability" and said the committee needs to know why Black "gave Jeffrey Epstein $180 million dollars".
Responding to
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform said in House Report 119-831 that Leon Black willfully failed to comply with its June 26, 2026 deposition subpoena and document subpoena, and that his stated reasons for not complying are without merit.
“This vote is an important step towards justice and accountability. Leon Black has continued to defy two congressional subpoenas and we need to know why he gave Jeffrey Epstein $180 million dollars.”
Official statement
Original text
Original text
Original text
Where this statement fits
Was the House justified in holding Leon Black in contempt of Congress over the Epstein inquiry?
On June 26, 2026, Leon Black appeared voluntarily for a transcribed interview in the House Oversight Committee's Epstein investigation. The committee said he declined to answer questions about nondisclosure agreements, and Chairman James Comer issued two subpoenas that day, one for a deposition and one for nondisclosure agreements. Black did not appear for the September 3 deposition and sued the committee that day; his attorneys said he had produced the only confidentiality agreement within the committee's stated purpose and that the subpoenas exceed its authority. The committee voted 41-0 on September 15 to recommend contempt, and the House agreed to the resolution by unanimous consent on September 16 with no recorded vote. Comer and Ranking Member Robert Garcia said Black defied the subpoenas, while Black's attorneys called the action retaliatory. The CourtListener copy of the lawsuit docket, last updated September 18, listed no ruling on Black's claims, and as of September 25, 2026 we could not locate a public Justice Department decision on the referral.
Source and context
Official statement
About this source
Ranking Member Garcia's press release after the House agreed to the contempt resolution.
Original text
About this source
Official record of the House floor action on H. Res. 1543: Comer's request for unanimous consent, the absence of objection, and agreement to the resolution.
Original text
About this source
Committee roll call sheet for the vote to report the contempt resolution. It records 41 ayes and 0 noes, with 20 Republicans and 21 Democrats voting aye and six Republican members not recorded.
Original text
About this source
The committee's report on the contempt resolution. It sets out the subpoena history, the committee's account of Black's non-compliance, its response to the reasons Black gave, and the recorded committee vote. It states the committee's position, not a court finding.
Before the quotation
The House agreed to the contempt resolution by unanimous consent on September 16, 2026, the day after the Oversight Committee voted 41 to 0 to recommend it.
After the quotation
The release also says Garcia called on Black to be held in contempt earlier in September, after Black defied two subpoenas. The committee's report says Black made payments to Epstein totaling over $158 million and potentially exceeding $170 million.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Relative to the decision to hold Black in contempt, Garcia calls it an important step and says Black continued to defy two subpoenas. He supports the action itself, so the label is a defense rather than a challenge to how it is characterized.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Leon Black
More from this case
Read the full caseFormer House counsel Michael Stern writes that Black's lawsuit "must fail" and that the committee "is entitled to question Black under oath"
“Black’s lawsuit must fail because it is well-settled that courts lack power to restrain congressional committees from issuing or enforcing a subpoena, regardless of the recipient’s claim that the subpoena violates constitutional privilege, was improperly motivated, or is otherwise unlawful. ... COGR is entitled to question Black under oath in a formal deposition even if Black had answered every pertinent question in a voluntary interview.”Read statement
Sen. Ron Wyden says "Black is doing everything in his power to dodge questions from Congress"
“No surprise Black is doing everything in his power to dodge questions from Congress.”Read statement
Rep. Yassamin Ansari says "Congressional subpoenas are binding, not suggestions"
“The House just unanimously approved our Oversight contempt resolution for Leon Black ... Congressional subpoenas are binding, not suggestions.”Read statement
Share or embed this statement
The embed keeps its attribution link to The Dispute Index. Credit the image to The Dispute Index and link to the statement page.
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Garcia calls the contempt action "an important step towards justice and accountability"
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/events/2662-in-a-press-release-after-the-house-agreed
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Garcia calls the contempt action "an important step towards justice and accountability"". First published: 2026-09-26. Last updated: 2026-09-26. https://disputeindex.com/events/2662-in-a-press-release-after-the-house-agreed