Dems demand Lutnick's resignation over Epstein files
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Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick testifies to a Senate appropriations subcommittee on Feb. 10 amid bipartisan calls for his resignation. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is facing growing calls from Capitol Hill to resign over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, after files released last month showed the two were in contact with each other as recently as 2018.
Why it matters: The blowback over Epstein that has been pointed at President Trump is now expanding to include a Cabinet official with close ties to the president.
- Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada), a key Democratic moderate, told Axios on Tuesday that she was calling on Lutnick to resign. She's the first member of the Senate Commerce Committee to do so.
- Rosen joins a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the House that urged Lutnick to resign this week, citing the Commerce secretary's relationship with Epstein.
Driving the news: Lutnick defended himself during a Senate hearing Tuesday, saying he "barely had anything to do" with Epstein.
- Still, Lutnick acknowledged visiting Epstein at his private island in 2012 after Epstein was a convicted sex offender.
- He said in a podcast interview last year that he cut ties with Epstein in 2005.
What they're saying: Rosen told Axios that "I believe that to protect the trust of the American people and to uphold the honor of his office, Howard Lutnick must immediately resign as Secretary of Commerce."
- "As he has now admitted to Congress, Howard Lutnick continued to have contact with Epstein well after he was convicted in 2008 for soliciting a minor — and he even visited his island in 2012," Rosen said.
- Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) is the only other Senate Democrat who has called on Lutnick to resign over his ties to Epstein.
- Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), along with Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and other House Democrats, said this week that they believe Lutnick should resign.
Lawmakers this week were allowed to review unredacted copies of more than 3 million documents released publicly by the Justice Department related to Epstein.
The other side: Lutnick said on Capitol Hill Tuesday that there are only ten emails connecting him to Epstein "over a 14 year period."
- "I did not have any relationship with him, I barely had anything to do with that person," Lutnick told lawmakers.
- Lutnick admitted that he had lunch with Epstein in 2012, but said he had his wife, kids and another couple with them.
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Tuesday that Lutnick "remains a very important member of President Trump's team" and that Trump "fully supports" him.
