House Oversight Chair James Comer and other Republican lawmakers are calling on the Justice Department to investigate allegations involving two men accused of sexually abusing Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime assistant, according to a letter provided first to CNN.
The new pressure from the Republican lawmakers stems from testimony the panel received last month from the assistant, Sarah Kellen.
In her closed-door interview, Kellen said Frederic Fekkai, a French celebrity hairstylist, and Philip Levine, the former mayor of Miami Beach, sexually assaulted her in separate incidents. She alleged that a third individual, Patrick Demarchelier, a French fashion photographer, exposed himself to her, according to a newly released transcript.
Comer’s letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche asked the Justice Department to investigate “the allegations against, and any other criminal conduct committed by” Fekkai and Levine in particular, noting Levine appears in the so-called Epstein files 600 times and that Fekkai was known as a “close friend” to Epstein.
“Ms. Kellen provided new information crucial to our investigation that is helping to bring transparency for the American people and accountability for survivors. During her transcribed interview, the Oversight Committee received serious allegations of criminal misconduct involving two individuals,” Comer said in a statement. “The Oversight Committee is not a law enforcement entity, and our role is not to determine guilt or innocence. We are referring these allegations to the Department of Justice, which has the tools to investigate criminal misconduct.”
