House Oversight and Government Reform Chair James Comer said Wednesday he is weighing whether to call Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates to testify in the committee’s ongoing investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. And judging by the growing bipartisan interest, Gates may soon find himself answering questions instead of hosting charity dinners.
Lawmakers from both parties are continuing to press Gates for information about his connections to Epstein. Comer, a Kentucky Republican, said he has been “approached by multiple Republicans and Democrats on the committee” who want the billionaire to testify, adding that the odds are increasing.
Comer also said he plans to review an upcoming interview with Gates’ ex-wife, Melinda Gates, scheduled to air on NPR, to see whether she provides additional insight into her former husband’s relationship with the late convicted sex offender. Apparently, even divorce settlements come with footnotes these days.
Gates’ name surfaced again in December with the release of Epstein-related materials, renewing scrutiny of his ties to the disgraced financier. The latest batch of files includes allegations that Gates contracted a sexually transmitted disease from women connected to Epstein. A Gates spokesperson dismissed those claims as absurd.
Gates has previously acknowledged that he had several dinners with Epstein, saying he believed Epstein would use his wealthy connections to help raise money for global health causes. When that failed to happen, Gates told PBS NewsHour in 2021 that he cut off the meetings, calling them “a mistake.” Better late than never, as they say.
Comer has already issued subpoenas to other figures connected to Epstein or mentioned in the files, including Bill and Hillary Clinton. Negotiations with the former president and former secretary of state over testimony stretched for months before they agreed to sit for closed-door depositions at the end of the month, under threat of a contempt of Congress vote.
With the investigation moving forward and pressure building on powerful names, the Oversight Committee is making it clear that no one is too rich or too famous to be questioned. Under Republican leadership, accountability is back in style—and that’s a step in the right direction for transparency and justice.
