← The Epstein Chronicles
The Epstein Chronicles
Howard Lutnick And The Transcript From His Epstein Related Congressional Hearing (Part 8) (5/16/26)
00:11:48
The transcripts from Howard Lutnick’s closed-door appearance before Congress painted a picture of a witness trying to minimize both the depth and duration of his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein while lawmakers confronted him with records suggesting...
Loading summary
Transcript7 lines
- [00:01]
Commercial Announcer
Most people would rather assemble a 300 piece cabinet than search for insurance. That's why the zebra searches for you. Comparing over 100 insurance companies to find savings no one else can compare. Today@the zebra.com
- [00:15]
Podcast Sponsor Announcer
craving something specific. From global flavors to viral snacks, TikTok has it all. If you can dream it, you can make it right at home. Find your next favorite favorite dish on Tick Tock.
- [00:30]
Howard Lutnick
What's up everyone? And welcome to another episode of the Epstein Chronicles. In this episode, we're going to get right back to Howard Lutnick and his deposition that he gave to Congress. Ms. Ansari. Secretary Lutnick, it was discussed at the top of the hour that your testimony today is not being videotaped. Did you refuse videotaping of your testimony? And to that Lutnick's lawyer jumps in. The secretary made an agreement to be here voluntarily. It's worked out that we would do a transcribed interview and. Sorry. So it was the majority's decision to do a transcribed video or was that a request that you all made? Troll girl, any conversations that have had to the representation of my client will be privileged. We're here, we're here to voluntarily answer your questions. We've been answering your questions. I'm sorry. If I could. Sorry. Congresswoman. Ms. Ansari, would you refuse? Would you be open to having this on video? Lutnik? I'd prefer to just answer questions about my three meaningless and inconsequential meetings, Ms. Ansari. Okay, alright. So I know that you've been using the phrase quite a bit. So. So I just want to dive into that a little bit. You talked a lot about your wife today and how she's really the person who warned you about Jeffrey Epstein and the two made an agreement for you not to, you know, be involved with him in any way. Obviously. In 2008, we know that Epstein was convicted as a child sex trafficker and an abuser. Then in 2012, of course, you did go to the island with your wife, who was the original person who you know, had doubts with together and you mentioned her many times. How'd your wife feel about you going to the island in 2012 if she had such deep feelings and such deep concerns? Lutnick's lawyer jumps in. Excuse me, Congresswoman, you said something that I think really does need to be corrected. For the record, you said in 2008 he'd been convicted as a trafficker. That's not accurate. And sorry, as a child abuser. That's not accurate. And sorry, what was he? He was ultimately in the state process in Florida was charged with solicitation of a minor. As a former prosecutor, that is not the same thing as child trafficking. And sorry, okay, so solicitation of a minor by Jeffrey Epstein in 2008. Four years later, Mr. Lutnick and the entire family go to the island. Your wife had deep concerns many years before in 2005, because of a massage table. How did your wife feel in 2012? LUTNICK I don't want to accept any premise of the conversation, but I'll try to answer it for you. But I don't accept the premise. So. And sorry, the premise being. LUTNICK the premise being you're expressing views of my wife that you're expressing. So we were uncomfortable with what he said. He was gross. And so we discussed that I would avoid him and not have any personal or professional relationship with him, which I did not. With respect to visiting, having lunch with my family and another family and the whole crowd going to his island for lunch, I don't remember why we went. But to try to answer your question in more detail, I don't remember him registering as a sex offender. And if my next door neighbor was registered as a sex offender, and I knew it, I would remember that. And sorry, so you would remember it, presumably. LUTNIK Wait, just let me finish, if you don't mind. Let's let me finish. And I think if my wife knew that her next door neighbor was a registered sex offender, then she would remember that and the both of those things would have meant that we wouldn't have gone. So while I don't remember why we went, right. When I think back on it as I sit here today, we would have known because if we would have known, I wouldn't have gone. So that's my point. And sorry, if I could just. Lutnick cuts her off. I'm just trying to describe to you. So that could be he gets cut off now by Ansari. But it was a prominent case. And so you knew at the bare minimum that he had solicited a minor. LUTNICK I don't know that. And as I said, Ansari. You don't recall it being all over the news media? LUTNIK I don't. Ansari. I mean, I was a child when it happened and I remember all of it. Lutnik I don't find that a little bit. He gets cut off by Ansari. It's just interesting that you didn't know that your neighbor, Jeffrey Epstein, one of the most famous individuals in the country, even at the time was all over the news for soliciting a minor in 2008. Lutnik. He became famous in 2019. I didn't know him to be famous before this. And sorry. So when did you find out? Mehron Please let the secretary finish. And sorry, I actually can ask questions whenever I'd like. Thank you. When did you find out that he was a registered sex offender? Well, I certainly, along with everybody else in the country, I learned enormous amounts about him in 2019. And. Sorry, when did you first find out? First find out what? Ansari. That he was a registered sex offender or that he had solicited a minor? Lutnick. As I said, I don't remember. But what I tried to tell you before was that when thinking back, it would have been something that I would have. Right? If I knew, I would have. If I knew, I would have been concerned about him being living next door and I wouldn't have gone to the island. So while I sit here and I say, you know, 20 years ago or however long ago it was, but I can't tell you what I remember. I'm just trying to be helpful because I've done nothing, and we all know I have done absolutely nothing wrong, inappropriate, you know, I only interacted with this person three times in my whole life. As, you know, meaningless and inconsequential, never with other people. So I'm just saying, just trying to be helpful to give you the context to the extent I can. Mr. Walkinshaw. Mr. Secretary, earlier Mr. Khanna asked you about your speculation that Epstein was blackmailing people. You responded that you subsequently changed your mind about that after hearing from officials in the administration. Who did you speak to in the administration about Jeffrey Epstein? Who? Blackmailing or not blackmailing people? Lutnick. It was just public comments from administration officials. Walkinshaw. I haven't seen those comments from administration officials that he didn't blackmail people. Lutnick. That's my best recollection. I learned it from public. He gets cut off by Walkinshaw. Okay. You refuse to answer a question about any conversation you might have had with President Trump about today's testimony. I just want to be clear. You will not answer questions about any conversation you have with President Trump about today's testimony. Lutnick. Right. But I don't want you to think anything one way or the other. I'm not even suggesting I have them. I'm just saying I won't go there. Question. How about any time before Trump was elected president or during the four years that Joe Biden was president. Any conversation with Trump when he wasn't president about Jeffrey Epstein Lotnick? No Walkinshaw. Okay, I'm struggling sitting here listening to you try to describe and define I and I as a man. I'm trying to figure out what exactly it is you're trying to say. I think the American people saw it on video. They would be struggling as well. But you said on the podcast, my wife and I decided that I'll never be in the room with that disgusting person again. You said married people will understand that. So your position is that you were so turned off by him. He was so gross, something weird sexually going on in his house, that you as a man, Howie Lutnick, did not want to be in the room with him alone, but you were okay with your wife and family being in a room with them? I'm struggling to understand that. I'm a man too, with a wife and a child. If I felt someone was so gross more than me not wanting to be in a room with them, I wouldn't want my wife and my child to be in a room with them. But you're very definitive that it's you, you, you, Howard Lutnick, that couldn't be in a room with him.
- [08:34]
Commercial Announcer
Dish has been connecting communities like yours for the last 45 years, providing the TV you love at a price you can trust. Watch live sports news and the latest movies, plus your favorite streaming apps all in one place. Switch to Dish today and lock in the lowest price in satellite TV starting at 89.99amonth with our two year price guarantee. Call 888-@dish or visit dish.com today this
- [09:04]
Podcast Sponsor Announcer
episode sponsored by Chicz. Summer heat is coming and if you're already waking up hot at night, you need to try chicz. I switched to Sheiks because I was constantly overheating, throwing off the covers, flipping the pillow, waking up sweaty. Their sheets are made with the same performance fabric used in athletic wear, so they help keep you cool, dry and comfortable all night long. And they're incredibly soft. Not slick or stiff, just cool, breathable comfort that actually helps you sleep better. Even better, the fitted sheet stays put thanks to their stay fit corners. No slipping off the mattress in the middle of the night. Right now, Chicz is running their Memorial Day sale with up to 50% off site wide, up to 80% off clearance, plus free shipping on orders over $75. If you sleep hot, this is your sign to upgrade before summer really kicks in. Trust try Sheex risk free with their 60 night guarantee at sheex.com that's S-H-E-E-X.com
- [10:04]
PointMe Sponsor Announcer
this episode sponsored by PointMe. Wanna know the secret to booking flights with points and miles? Let's say you've got 80,000 points and you're looking at a business class flight to Europe. Cash price around $3,000. You check your credit card travel portal. 300,000 points. Way too high. But shh. Here's what you should do instead. Go to point me and run that exact same search in seconds. It shows you better ways to book that same flight across dozens of airline programs. Now, instead of 300,000 points, you're seeing options closer to 65,000. That's because you can move your credit card points into airline programs where the pricing is usually way lower. Same flight, same seat for less than half the points. And PointMe doesn't just show you the options. It. It walks you through exactly how to book it. If you want to get more value from your points without becoming a points nerd, visit point me and see what your points are really worth. Get 25% off an annual membership with code points25.
- [11:04]
Howard Lutnick
Lutnick. I had an informal conversation with my wife, and that's what we discussed. And I would think that most people who are married would understand they would have a conversation with their wife that. That someone says something inappropriate, gross. That when you leave with your wife, she says, you should avoid that guy. He's gross. Right. And I did. So I don't think that, like, that's kind of inconsequential, which means just avoid him, which I did. So I understand. Actually, I would think people who are married would understand the conversation with their wife when they met someone who was inappropriate to say, you should avoid them. And I did. Walkinshaw. Respectfully, Mr. Secretary, I think most people who are married would say, we should never be in a room with him again. But have you had any conversation with anyone in the White House? Setting aside the president, you're refusing to discuss conversations with the president. Any conversations with anyone who works in the White House about today's interview? Lutnick. No. Walkinshaw. Okay. Thank you. We can go off the record, have a recess. And they come back. Emmer. We'll go back on the record. Comer jumps in. Yeah, I just want to say something. I've been listening to the press conference the Democrats run out to say, and they have said several things that aren't true that you said. And Walkinshaw especially. He's in a tough race against a transgender candidate. And I think he I don't know what he's doing. I don't understand what it takes to win a Democrat primary. But it's very fortunate or unfortunate because I think the transcript will reflect that they just went out and said it's completely false. And that's very disappointing because this is an important investigation. We're trying to learn everything we can to see if there's any way to hold people who committed crimes accountable for terrible things. And I'm doing everything in my ability to have a serious, credible investigation. Mr. Secretary, you've come here voluntarily. We appreciate it. And I just felt like I needed to say that on the record, so I'll yield back. EMMER thank you. Mr. Secretary, is there something that you want to clarify on the record? Yeah, I just want to make sure everybody understands that I have a Department of Commerce lawyer with me at the end. And so they said, did I use my Commerce resources? I had scheduling, which talked to people at Commerce and I did send my opening statement to my comms director so he can know what I was going to say. But that's it. QUESTION thank you. I understand that you've answered a lot of similar questions over the last two hours. So the majority will continue to ask questions that you have not answered. EMMER QUESTION at this time, I would like to introduce what will be marked as majority Exhibit 9. And while he's passing it out to the next however many minutes, we're going to walk through specific emails that were released as part of the Epstein Transparency act that referenced the secretary, of course, in his personal capacity. Lutnik's lawyer jumps back in. Mr. Emmer, may I just ask a quick question? EMMER yes, sir. Sorry to take your time. We're still on the record. EMMER yeah, I noticed that, especially after what the chairman just said. Congressman Waukesha said he had not heard about certain statements that Secretary Lutnick talked about administration officials. I just wanted to be clear for the record that ranking member Garcia of this committee sent a letter where those things were mentioned. So I guess he's not aware of his own ranking members letter comer Honesty is not his specialty. EMMER thank you. All right, we're going to wrap up right here and in the next episode, we're going to pick up where we left off. All the information that goes with this episode can be found in the description box.