Epstein Files: House Panel Defies Trump, Subpoenas DOJ! What's Hidden?
House Panel Subpoenas Epstein Files in Bipartisan Vote
In a rare show of unity, the House Oversight Committee is moving forward with a subpoena to the Justice Department for all files related to the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking investigation. This move comes after three Republicans crossed party lines to join Democrats in an 8-to-2 vote late Wednesday.
The vote by the panel’s Federal Law Enforcement Subcommittee represents a significant step towards transparency in a case that has been shrouded in secrecy for years. The subpoena aims to compel the release of investigative records, albeit with redactions to protect victims' identities and prevent the dissemination of child sexual abuse imagery. These documents will be reviewed internally by the committee, not released to the public.
The timing of the vote is noteworthy, occurring during a week when Speaker Mike Johnson unexpectedly cut short the legislative session, seemingly to avoid politically charged votes like this one. However, Oversight Committee Democrats, spearheaded by Rep. Summer Lee of Pennsylvania, successfully forced a vote, putting Republicans on the record.
Reps. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, and Brian Jack of Georgia joined Democrats in voting for the subpoena. Representatives Clay Higgins of Louisiana and Andy Biggs of Arizona voted against it.
“The American people deserve transparency and accountability,” Rep. Lee stated on X, emphasizing that “the wealthy and powerful are not above the law.”
Who Else is Being Called to Testify?
Beyond the subpoena for DOJ files, the committee is also seeking a deposition from Ghislaine Maxwell, currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking. Additionally, the committee has requested testimony from a wide range of political and law enforcement figures, including former President Bill Clinton and Donald Trump's former attorneys general, as well as former FBI directors James Comey and Robert Mueller. This investigation is clearly aiming to leave no stone unturned in the pursuit of justice for Epstein's victims.
- DOJ Files Subpoenaed
- Ghislaine Maxwell Deposition Sought
- Clinton, Comey, Mueller Requested to Testify