House Oversight and Government Reform Chair James Comer is considering calling Bill Gates to testify in his ongoing Jeffrey Epstein investigation, saying in an interview Wednesday a bipartisan group of lawmakers on the panel are pressing for a chance to question the billionaire Microsoft founder.
“We’re certainly looking at that, so we’ll have more to come on that,” said the Kentucky Republican, adding that he’s been “approached by multiple Republicans and Democrats on the committee that would like to ask Bill Gates questions, so odds are.”
Comer said he also wants to review an interview from Gates’ ex-wife, Melinda Gates, which will air on NPR Thursday, to see if she divulges any more information about her former husband and the extent of his possible involvement with Epstein, the late convicted sex offender.
Bill Gates was depicted in the release of Epstein-related materials in December but has come under renewed security over his ties to the disgraced financier in the latest set of documents to be made public.
The newest tranche of files includes allegations that Gates contracted a sexually transmitted disease from women in Epstein’s orbit. A spokesperson for Gates has called the allegations absurd.
Gates has said he had several dinners with Epstein based on an understanding that Epstein would use his wealthy connections to fundraise for global health causes. When that didn’t happen, Gates told PBS NewsHour in 2021, he cut off the dinners, calling the meetings “a mistake.”
Comer has already issued subpoenas for other individuals known to have had some ties to Epstein, or mentioned in the Epstein files, including Bill and Hillary Clinton. Negotiations with the former president and secretary of State over the terms of their testimonies dragged on for months, culminating in their final caving to the Oversight committee under threat of being held in contempt of Congress. They will now sit for closed-door depositions at the end of the month.
It’s not immediately clear if Gates would be willing to share information with the committee.
