James Walkinshaw on Government Transparency

Public disputes concerning what governments and public bodies disclose about their own conduct, data and records, including the completeness, timing and accuracy of what they publish.

How we classify topics

Counts show individual statements. They do not assign an overall position.

Statement history

1 statement on this page. Dates: September 3, 2026

1 matching statement. Dates: September 3, 2026

2 published statements. Dates: September 3, 2026 to September 21, 2026

Defended or excused

1 published statement. Dates: September 3, 2026

1 statement on this page. Dates: September 3, 2026

James Walkinshaw

Role at the time: Member of the House Oversight Committee, in an MS NOW interview

September 3, 2026Defended or excused

Statement summary

Asked on MS NOW whether the committee should hold Black in contempt immediately, Rep. James Walkinshaw answered "Absolutely". He said Black will have to answer the committee's questions and that "If he continues to refuse, he should be held in contempt".

“Absolutely. Look, complying with a congressional subpoena is not optional. Mr. Black is going to have to come in and answer these questions. Whether it happens now, a week from now, or a month from now, it absolutely will happen. If he continues to refuse, he should be held in contempt.”

Open the original interview'He should be held in contempt': Oversight Rep. on Leon Black DEFYING subpoena in Epstein probe · MS NOWWalkinshaw's answer about 1:05 to 1:20

MS NOW interview with a member of the Oversight Committee on the day Black did not appear for his deposition. The anchor asks whether the committee should hold Black in contempt immediately.

Archived copy

Why we used this label

Relative to the decision to hold Black in contempt, Walkinshaw answers "Absolutely" when asked whether the committee should hold Black in contempt immediately. He then says contempt should follow if Black continues to refuse. He supports the action itself, so the label is a defense rather than mixed or conditional.

Read statement Was the House justified in holding Leon Black in contempt of Congress over the Epstein inquiry?