Both Democrats and Republicans believe Howard Lutnick has lied.
– Lutnick has lied to the American people about his connections to a convicted sex offender, says Democratic Senator Adam Schiff on Monday, according to Financial Times.
Howard Lutnick was CEO of the financial firm Cantor Fitzgerald for nearly three decades before becoming Secretary of Commerce in Donald Trump’s administration last year. He was among the largest donors to Trump’s campaign.
– He has no business being Commerce Secretary, and he should resign immediately, Schiff continued.
In an interview last year, Lutnick stated he cut ties with Epstein in 2005 after being shown a room with a massage table. The two were neighbors at the time.
– My wife and I decided that I should never be in the same room with that disgusting person again, Lutnick told The Modern York Post according to FT.
However, documents from the Department of Justice reveal the two continued to have contact until 2018, according to FT. Emails reveal they planned social engagements in New York and on Epstein’s island. Lutnick and Epstein were also co-investors in a private company.
Republican Congressman Thomas Massie said on Sunday that Lutnick should step down.
Claims Denied
The US Department of Commerce says, according to FT, that calls for Lutnick to resign are “a failed attempt from traditional media to distract from the administration’s results.”
The department adds that “Mr. And Mrs. Lutnick met Lutnick in 2005 and had very limited contact with him over the next 14 years.”
White House spokesperson Kush Desai says that “The entire Trump administration, including Secretary Lutnick and the Department of Commerce, remains focused on delivering results for the American people.”
