Overview
- Gates voluntarily gave a closed-door interview to the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday and provided a written opening statement that was posted on his GatesNotes blog.
- He denied any knowledge of Epstein’s criminal conduct and said he never victimized anyone while saying he made “a grave error of judgment” for meeting Epstein.
- Gates told lawmakers his contacts with Epstein ran from 2011 to 2014 and were limited to discussions about possible philanthropic fundraising that never produced a fund or donations.
- He said Epstein tried to pressure him by using sensitive personal information, including an extramarital affair, to influence Gates after their ties began to fray.
- The committee’s probe will continue as investigators review the DOJ’s more than three million pages of Epstein records that include hundreds of references to Gates and unverified draft emails that have raised new questions without leading to criminal charges.