It was quite the day in New Albany. The state’s richest man, and some say one of the state’s most powerful men, was questioned under oath about his relationship with convicted pedophile and alleged sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
As the proceedings began, Wexner released a long statement in which he said that while he and Epstein were friends and Epstein managed all of his personal finances, he had no idea of Epstein’s illegal activities. Wexner said in his statement, “I was naïve, foolish, and gullible to put any trust in Jeffrey Epstein. He was a con man. And while I was conned, I have done nothing wrong and have nothing to hide.”
Committee member Rep. Dave Min from California was not buying it.
The top Democrat on the committee, Rep. Robert Garcia of California, said the committee has more questions for Wexner, and he said Ohioans should as well.
Closely watching the news surrounding the deposition is the Ohio State University and its president, Ted Carter. Last week, Carter said that university officials are considering all the facts, and they have a process to consider the more than two dozen requests to remove Wexner’s name from the medical center, the arts center, and the football complex.
For more on this topic, we turn to our panel of experts: reporter Jake Zuckerman of Signal Statewide, Democratic strategist Brian Rothenberg, and Republican strategist Mark Weaver.
Snollygoster of the Week
The House Oversight Committee questioned Les Wexner this week in New Albany. We could give the award to Wexner for making them move the deposition to his home turf, but instead, let’s give it to the committee members who were not there.
There are forty-six members of the committee; five showed up for the Wexner deposition, all of them Democrats, and notably all from outside Ohio. Ohio Republicans Jim Jordan and Mike Turner and Democrat Shontel Brown decided not to make the short drive to Central Ohio from their districts. Congress was not in session. Brown said she had a scheduling conflict. There is no word on what kept Turner and Jordan from attending.
What their absence did mean is that they did not have to confront one of Ohio’s most prominent citizens, and they did not have to answer reporters’ questions after the session.
For that, Representatives Jordan, Turner, and Brown get our Snollygoster of the Week award.