Alan Dershowitz faces mounting pressure from House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer to testify about his legal work for convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, with a rescheduled interview set for September 2 after the attorney abruptly canceled a July appearance.
Dershowitz, a retired Harvard Law professor and former member of Epstein’s legal team, was initially requested to appear before the committee in June 2026 following testimony from Epstein’s longtime executive secretary Lesley Groff. The committee formally scheduled a transcribed, videotaped interview for July 21, based on questions that arose from Groff’s account and statements from Epstein survivors.
On July 15, just five days before the scheduled appearance, Dershowitz’s attorneys notified the committee that he could not legally testify. In a July 21 letter, Comer called the cancellation “unacceptable” and criticized Dershowitz’s counsel for failing to provide a reason for the refusal despite multiple follow-ups from committee staff on July 15 and 17. “Your counsel failed to provide a reason for your refusal to testify,” Comer wrote. “When Committee staff followed up with your counsel via email on July 15 and 17, 2026, your counsel again failed to provide an explanation for your refusal to attend your transcribed interview. This is unacceptable.”
Comer threatened to pursue what he called “compulsory process” — a subpoena — if Dershowitz failed to comply with a new request to appear for an in-person videotaped transcribed interview on September 2, 2026. “The Committee is committed to a transparent investigation and expects you to be forthcoming,” Comer wrote. “The Committee will not tolerate any further delay. If you fail to adhere to this request, the Committee will explore all available tools at its disposal, including the use of the compulsory process.”
The pressure reflects the House Oversight Committee’s broader investigation into how the federal government handled the Epstein case. The committee has interviewed multiple figures connected to Epstein, including Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and several of Epstein’s associates. Comer has signaled his intention to hold public hearings on Epstein before his tenure atop the committee ends.
When reached by reporters in late August, Dershowitz maintained he wanted to testify, saying his lawyers had advised him there was a legal barrier preventing him from doing so. “My lawyers have advised me that there is a legal barrier to my testifying,” he said. “We are trying to remove the barrier. I volunteered to testify and am anxious to do so.” He declined to specify what the legal barrier was, and as of late August, he had not confirmed whether he would appear on September 2.
Dershowitz has previously expressed eagerness to participate in the investigation. In June, after learning the committee wanted to question him, he told reporters he was “shocked” the panel had not yet reached out. “I would be the most relevant person for them to call,” he said at the time. “I want it to be open. I want it to be under oath.” He also claimed to have information contradicting some earlier testimony, arguing that some of Epstein’s victims were “complicit” and that “the area is much grayer than it looks.”
Dershowitz has been accused of wrongdoing tied to Epstein, allegations he has vehemently denied. According to FBI documents released as part of the Epstein files, a woman told the bureau that Epstein trafficked her to Dershowitz for a massage on Epstein’s plane. Dershowitz has disputed this account, stating he can prove he was never on Epstein’s plane with a young woman and that the accuser violated federal law by lying to the FBI.
Sources
- ABC News — Comer’s July 21 letter calling the cancellation “unacceptable,” the threat of subpoena, and the September 2 rescheduled date.
- NewsNation — Dershowitz’s statements about the legal barrier to testifying, his eagerness to appear, and denial of allegations.
- The Hill — Comer’s initial June 12 request for Dershowitz to testify and Dershowitz’s June statements about wanting “complete transparency.”
- Fox News — Comer’s threat to pursue compulsory process if Dershowitz fails to comply with the September 2 request.
