The top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee piled onto calls from Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., on Monday for Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to step down in light of alleged business ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

Files released by the DOJ suggest that Lutnick and Epstein bought stakes together in a technology company called Adfin in 2012.

Lutnick, who is listed among nine other investors, appears as a «signatory» alongside Epstein, who is named as a «preferred holder.»

Notably, the purchase is dated four years after Epstein was convicted in 2008 for sexual abuse involving a 14-year-old girl.

DOJ PUBLISHES TROVE OF EPSTEIN FILES, SAYS MORE TO COME AFTER FRIDAY DEADLINE

Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., said the documents clearly contradicted previous statements from Lutnick about his relationship with Epstein.

«It’s now clear that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has been lying about his relationship with Epstein. He said he had no interactions with Epstein after 2005, and we now know they were in business together,» Garcia said in a post to X.

«Lutnick must resign or be fired. And he must answer our questions,» Garcia added.

Garcia’s calls follow similar comments made by Massie on Sunday. When asked about Lutnick’s appearance in the files on CNN, Massie also said that Lutnick should step down.

MASSIE, KHANNA TO VISIT DOJ TO REVIEW UNREDACTED EPSTEIN FILES

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., arrives for a House vote on Feb. 3, 2026, in Washington, D.C.  (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

«He should just resign. Prince [Andrew] lost his title for less than what we’ve seen Howard Lutnick lie about,» Massie said, referring to the member of the royal family who was stripped of his titles last year for his association with Epstein.

«He was in business with Jeffrey Epstein — and this was many years after Epstein was convicted for sexual crimes. So, he’s got a lot to answer for.»

LAWMAKERS ESCALATE EPSTEIN PROBE WITH POSSIBLE BILL GATES SUBPOENA

Other documents in the Epstein files reveal communications between Lutnick and Epstein’s staff that suggest Lutnick may have met with Epstein in the Virgin Islands.

«Jeffrey Epstein understands you will be down in St. Thomas some over the holidays. Jeffrey requested I please pass along some phone numbers to you so the two of you can possibly get together,» an assistant to Epstein wrote in an email dated November 2012.

In response to an inquiry from Fox News Digital on the criticism from Garcia and Massie, a spokesperson for the Department of Commerce framed their demands as a distraction.

Howard Lutnick, Commerce secretary, participates in a roundtable in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 10, 2025. (Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

«Mr. Lutnick met Jeffrey Epstein in 2005 and had very limited interactions with him over the next 14 years,» the spokesperson said.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

«This is nothing more than a failing attempt by the legacy media to distract from the administration’s accomplishments, including securing trillions of dollars in investment, delivering historic trade deals and fighting for the American worker.»

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., did not respond to a request for comment on whether the committee would consider questioning Lutnick as a part of the committee’s ongoing probe of Epstein and his crimes.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing one of the most serious crises of his premiership after a cascade of resignations, renewed scrutiny over his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to Washington and mounting unrest inside the ruling Labor Party ahead of a critical meeting of members of Parliament Monday evening.

On Monday, Scottish Labor leader Anas Sarwar became the most senior party figure to call for Starmer’s resignation, saying «the distraction needs to end and the leadership in Downing Street has to change,» according to the Associated Press. His intervention piles fresh pressure on the prime minister.

At the center of the crisis are newly publicized materials detailing Mandelson’s links to Jeffrey Epstein, revelations that have reshaped the political stakes and triggered questions about vetting at the highest levels of government. Documents cited by Fox News Digital report Mandelson maintained contact with Epstein after his 2008 conviction, and that Epstein transferred about $75,000 in 2003 and 2004 to accounts connected to Mandelson or his husband.

KEIR STARMER’S CHIEF OF STAFF RESIGNS AFTER RECOMMENDING EPSTEIN-CONNECTED AMBASSADOR

Morgan McSweeney, Starmer’s chief of staff and one of the most influential figures inside Downing Street, stepped down on Sunday after acknowledging his role in recommending Mandelson for the diplomatic post. In a resignation statement obtained by The Guardian, McSweeney said the decision was «wrong» and he accepted responsibility, calling his departure the «only honorable course.»

The pressure intensified hours later when Tim Allan, the prime minister’s director of communications, also resigned, according to GB News. Allan, a veteran New Labor strategist, became the second senior aide to exit as the political fallout deepened.

Dr. John Hemmings, director of the National Security Center at the Henry Jackson Society, told Fox News Digital the prime minister is now under escalating political pressure and that «it’s unclear as to whether he’ll survive.»

«Prime Minister Starmer is coming under ever-increasing political pressure to resign here in London in the wake of the scandal around Lord Mandelson — his appointed ambassador to the United States — and his connection to Jeffrey Epstein. He has lost two close aides and is under attack for his China foreign policy. The Chagos Deal is under scrutiny and his trip to Beijing was largely viewed as devoid of real results,» Hemmings said.

Alan Mendoza, executive director of the Henry Jackson Society, added: «It is extraordinary to be in a situation where a prime minister who won a landslide general election victory only 20 months ago is now on the verge of being forced to resign. We are here as a result of a series of policy U-turns and bad judgment calls culminating in the Lord Mandelson debacle. His fate is now ultimately in the hands of the Parliamentary Labor Party tonight. If he feels he no longer has their confidence, then there is every chance that this will be the end of Keir Starmer.»

STARMER CALLS ON EX-PRINCE ANDREW TO TESTIFY BEFORE CONGRESS AFTER LATEST EPSTEIN RELEASE

Peter Mandelson speaks during a welcome reception for British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, at the ambassador’s residence on Feb. 26, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Carl Court/Pool via Reuters)

Starmer has sought to contain the damage, saying he regrets the appointment. In remarks reported by GB News on Monday, the prime minister said: «I have been absolutely clear that I regret the decision that I made to appoint Peter Mandelson. And I’ve apologized to the victims, which is the right thing to do.» He added that scandals of this kind risk undermining public faith in politics.

The prime minister now faces a showdown with Labor lawmakers, with backbench MPs expected to challenge his leadership at a party meeting Monday evening U.K. time. A senior Labor MP told GB News the «clock is ticking» and called for decisive action to «cleanse politics.»

Downing Street has insisted Starmer will not resign despite the double departure. A spokesperson told journalists that the prime minister is «getting on with the job in hand and delivering change across the country,» and he remains «upbeat and confident,» and retains Cabinet support.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Peter Mandelson sits with Jeffrey Epstein as he blows out the candles on a cake, in an undated photograph released by the U.S. Justice Department on Dec. 19, 2025, as part of a trove of documents from its investigations into Epstein. (U.S. Justice Department/Handout via Reuters)

The political damage, however, extends beyond staffing turmoil. Mandelson was withdrawn from the ambassador role after additional details about his relationship with Epstein emerged, and he resigned from the Labor Party earlier this month, leaving Starmer confronting what experts describe as the most acute test of his leadership since taking office.

Fox News Digital’s Ashley Carnahan and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Una joven vivió una verdadera pesadilla el mismo día que iba a casarse. Antes de su boda, recibió la noticia de que su prometido había muerto. La devastadora noticia hizo que viviera de luto durante varios años, hasta que descubrió un secreto impensado del hombre que amaba.

Todo empezó cuando Kaitlin Palmieri conoció a Eric en una aplicación de citas en 2018. “En el momento en que empezamos a hablar supe que este chico atractivo y hablador era especial”, sostuvo la joven en The Sun.

Leé también: Tragedia en un parque de diversiones de la India: un policía murió aplastado por un juego mecánico que colapsó

Con el paso de los meses, la joven abrió su corazón y le contó un terrible secreto: su anterior novio, llamado Mike, había muerto en un accidente doméstico mientras Kaitlin festejaba su cumpleaños.

“Eric fue increíble, me habló sobre su propia vida y tuvimos una conversación muy profunda. Nuestra relación se fortaleció después de eso y seis meses después nos mudamos juntos”, explicó.

En diciembre de 2019, Eric le pidió matrimonio y ella no dudó en decir que sí. “Pensé que después de perder a Mike nunca volvería a ser feliz. Pero aquí estaba yo, el hombre con el que quería pasar el resto de mi vida”, recordó Kaitlin.

Leé también: Detuvieron a un piloto de 19 años por la muerte de un menor de edad en una pelea en Brasil

Varios meses después, en agosto de 2020, ambos hicieron la cena de ensayo y decidieron seguir la tradición de pasar la última noche de solteros separados. Al otro día, la joven vio que tenía llamadas perdidas y pensó que se había quedado dormida.

“Mi madre me dijo que baje al vestíbulo con una voz extraña. Le pedí que me dijera por qué y hubo un momento de silencio. Fue ahí cuando me dijo que Eric había muerto esa mañana”, contó Kaitlin.

La mujer fue llevada a la casa de sus padres después de recibir la noticia. Según comentó, los días posteriores fueron una agonía: “Hubo oleadas de ira, conmoción y dolor físico, lo sentí todo”.

En 2023, Kaitlin seguía de luto por la pérdida de su prometido. “Conservé el anillo de compromiso y me lo puse para ocasiones especiales, momentos en los que quería sentirme más cerca de él y honrar lo que teníamos”, indicó.

Sin embargo, el día que hubiera sido el cumpleaños de Eric, descubrió la peor traición. La joven estaba en Instagram cuando vio una publicación que llamó su atención ya que involucraba a su exprometido.

Leé también: Video impactante: dos jóvenes se pelearon por un chicle y uno murió al recibir un golpe en la cabeza

“Incluía el apellido de Eric y su fecha de nacimiento, fue una coincidencia extraña. Vi su nombre completo y su cuenta de Snapchat. Cuando vi el posteo con atención, me di cuenta que era una mujer que me había contactado después de que escribiera lo que pasó con él”, señaló.

De acuerdo con su testimonio, en la publicación la mujer le agradecía por haber pasado su último cumpleaños juntos. Fue en ese momento cuando decidió mandarle un mensaje para saber qué vínculo tenían.

A las horas, recibió un mensaje devastador: “La mujer admitió que había conocido a Eric en 2019, en la misma aplicación de citas en la que él me conoció a mí. Ella vivía en otro estado y veía a Eric cuando me decía que viajaba por trabajo”.

“Cuando leí que seguían en contacto 15 días antes de nuestra boda, me sentí mal. Pasé de estar furiosa a sentirme enferma y mareada, sin poder recuperar el aliento”, dijo.

Leé también: Horror en Brasil: un alumno apuñaló y mató a su profesora adelante de sus compañeros

Kaitlin se apoyó en familiares y amigos después de enterarse sobre la traición de Eric. De todas formas, afirmó: “Fue difícil afrontar los años que había perdido, el duelo por un hombre que resultó que no conocía y una relación amorosa que en realidad nunca había tenido”.

A pesar del mal momento que vivió, aseguró que saber la verdad sobre Eric la liberó. En enero de 2024, volvió a apostar por el amor y volvió a comprometerse en diciembre. “Nuestra boda está fijada para abril. Estoy muy feliz. Solo quiero que la gente sepa que, por más oscuro que se sienta el hoy, realmente se puede encontrar esperanza de nuevo”, cerró.