Ghislaine Maxwell willing to answer more questions if she gets immunity

Ghislaine Maxwell wants immunity in exchange for answering more questions from Congress as it investigates the Jeffrey Epstein case and whether the Justice Department should release more information. 

Maxwell, the former girlfriend of the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender, is serving a 20-year prison sentence for helping Epstein traffic young girls. 

Her lawyers said Tuesday that she’s willing to answer more questions from Congress if she is granted immunity from future prosecution for her testimony and if lawmakers agree to satisfy other conditions.

Why does Congress want to interview Ghislaine Maxwell? 

Big picture view:

The powerful House Oversight Committee has issued a subpoena for Maxwell to testify in August, part of a growing congressional investigation into the Epstein case. A House subcommittee also voted to subpoena the Justice Department for documents related to Epstein. Senators in both major political parties have expressed openness to holding hearings on the matter after Congress’ August recess.

RELATED: Bill Clinton reportedly wrote letter in Jeffrey Epstein's birthday book, WSJ says

Maxwell was recently interviewed inside a Florida courthouse by the Justice Department’s No. 2 official, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, though officials have not publicly disclosed what she said.

Dig deeper:

The potential interview is part of a frenzied, renewed interest in the Epstein saga following the Justice Department’s statement earlier this month that it would not be releasing any additional records from the investigation, an abrupt announcement that stunned online sleuths, conspiracy theorists and elements of President Donald Trump’s political base who had been hoping to find proof of a government coverup.

Since then, the Trump administration has sought to present itself as promoting transparency, with the department urging courts to unseal grand jury transcripts from the sex-trafficking investigations. A judge in Florida last week rejected the request, though similar requests are pending in New York.

In a letter Tuesday, Maxwell’s attorneys said that though their initial instinct was for Maxwell to invoke her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, they are open to having her cooperate provided that lawmakers satisfy their request for immunity and other conditions.

The other side:

But the Oversight Committee seemed to reject that offer outright.

"The Oversight Committee will respond to Ms. Maxwell’s attorney soon, but it will not consider granting congressional immunity for her testimony," a spokesperson said.

Separately, Maxwell’s attorneys have urged the Supreme Court to review her conviction, saying she did not receive a fair trial. 

"She welcomes the opportunity to share the truth and to dispel the many misconceptions and misstatements that have plagued this case from the beginning," the lawyers said.

Why is Ghislaine Maxwell in prison? 

The backstory:

Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence and is housed at a low-security federal prison in Tallahassee, Florida. She was sentenced three years ago after being convicted of helping Epstein sexually abuse underage girls.

Officials have said Epstein killed himself in his New York jail cell while awaiting trial in 2019, but his case has generated endless attention and conspiracy theories because of his and Maxwell’s links to famous people, including royals, presidents and billionaires.

Epstein, under a 2008 non-prosecution agreement, pleaded guilty in Florida to state charges of soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution. That allowed him to avert a possible life sentence, instead serving 13 months in a work release program. He was required to make payments to victims and register as a sex offender.

In 2019, Epstein was charged by federal prosecutors in Manhattan for nearly identical allegations.

Earlier this month, the Justice Department said it would not release more files related to the Epstein investigation, despite promises that claimed otherwise from Attorney General Pam Bondi. The department also said an Epstein client list does not exist.

What did Trump say about Ghislaine Maxwell?

Maxwell’s lawyers say she would also agree to testify "openly and honestly, in public," in the event of a pardon by Trump.

What they're saying:

Asked last week whether he had considered pardoning Maxwell, Trump said, "I'm allowed to do it, but it's something I have not thought about."

The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump’s name is in the Epstein files multiple times, and that Attorney General Pam Bondi told Trump about his mentions in May. Many high-profile people were also named in the files, according to WSJ, and being named does not mean there was any wrongdoing.