A dozen-plus survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse have a simple message for billionaire Leon Black: the House oversight committee is not a suggestion box, and your presence is required. In a letter released on Wednesday, the survivors urged Black to comply with congressional subpoenas ahead of Thursday’s deposition, presumably hoping that a man who paid Epstein tens of millions of dollars for 'tax and estate-planning services' might suddenly develop a conscience - or at least a calendar.

The survivors, who know a thing or two about being exploited, are also demanding Black produce all nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) in his possession. Because nothing says 'I have nothing to hide' like a stack of legal documents designed to hide things. Their letter notes that Black’s use of NDAs underscores why Congress must scrutinize these agreements, which might shed light on his relationship with Epstein and others in his orbit. If Black continues to withhold records, the survivors suggest Congress use 'every tool available' - which, in Washington parlance, usually means sternly worded letters followed by more sternly worded letters.

Meanwhile, Republican Rep. James Comer, chair of the House oversight committee, has threatened to hold Black in contempt if he doesn’t fully cooperate. As of Tuesday, Black had not confirmed his appearance, which is either a scheduling oversight or a bold strategy. In June, Black told the committee he didn’t know about Epstein’s 'nefarious activity' until Epstein was charged with trafficking in July 2019 - though he did acknowledge knowing about Epstein’s 2008 guilty plea to charges involving prostitution with a minor. So, he knew about the minor-related prostitution, but the trafficking was a total shock. Got it.

Adding to the chorus, Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie - who recently lost his primary to a Trump-backed challenger, because timing is everything - read aloud the names of Epstein’s friends and associates, including Black, and called on the Department of Justice to investigate these 'perpetrators.' Massie also noted that nearly a year after Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, millions of files remain unreleased. Because transparency, like justice, is often best served cold - or, in this case, heavily redacted.