House Oversight Committee subpoenas the Justice Department for Epstein files
The House Oversight Committee has subpoenaed the Department of Justice for records related to its investigation of convicted sex-offender Jeffrey Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
The subpoena, one of 11 formally issued on Tuesday, calls for “all documents and communications relating or referring to” Epstein and Maxwell, including information contained in their respective court cases, by August 19. It came nearly two weeks after Republicans on one of the panel’s subcommittees joined with Democrats and voted to direct committee chair James Comer, R-Ky., to subpoena the DOJ.
“While the Department undertakes efforts to uncover and publicly disclose additional information related to Mr. Epstein and Ms. Maxwell’s cases, it is imperative that Congress conduct oversight of the federal government’s enforcement of sex trafficking laws generally and specifically its handling of the investigation and prosecution of Mr. Epstein and Ms. Maxwell,” Comer said in a cover letter addressed to Attorney General Pam Bondi.
The DOJ declined to comment.
In addition to the DOJ subpoena, Comer issued subpoenas seeking testimony from several former government officials. The list includes former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as well as top law enforcement officials from previous administrations, including former FBI directors James Comey and Robert Mueller and former attorneys general Merrick Garland and Bill Barr.
The committee is hoping to begin the depositions in mid-August and continue them into the fall, according to Comer’s statement.
A potential clash between Congress and the White House
The subpoena for DOJ records risks a potential clash between Congress and the White House over the Epstein saga. For nearly a month, President Trump has attempted to curb mounting frustration from his base and calls for additional transparency, following the release of a DOJ memo announcing there was no evidence of an alleged “client list” held by Epstein.
Trump has tried to lessen some of the questions and criticism on the issue by lobbying for the release of grand jury testimony connected to Epstein, who died in prison while waiting to go on trial on sex trafficking charges in 2019. The administration is also seeking the release of grand jury testimony from the trial for Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence on sex trafficking and other charges.
In a court filing submitted on Tuesday, Maxwell’s lawyers pushed back against the government’s attempt to make the transcripts public, arguing it could negatively impact her efforts to have the Supreme Court review her case.
“Public curiosity is insufficient when Maxwell’s legal and reputational interests are at stake,” lawyers for Maxwell wrote. “These factors weigh heavily in favor of preserving the secrecy of the grand jury materials.”
The administration has also attempted to seek out information directly from Maxwell. At the end of July, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche spent two days interviewing her behind closed doors, a move legal experts argued was unusual for a senior DOJ official.
The DOJ has not publicized what was discussed in the meeting.
Last Friday, Maxwell was also moved from the federal prison in Florida where she had been serving her sentence to a prison camp in Texas. Despite confirming the transfer, the Federal Bureau of Prisons did not provide details on the circumstances.
When asked by reporters on Tuesday if he approved Maxwell’s transfer, Trump said he did not have any knowledge of the move.
“I didn’t know about it at all, no. I read about it just like you did. It’s not a very uncommon thing,” he said.
Trump was also pressed about Blanche’s sit-down with Maxwell and her credibility.
“I didn’t talk to him about it,” he said. “But I will tell you that whatever he asked would be totally appropriate.”
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