Home Republicans subpoenaed the Justice Division and a slew of former US officers for details about Jeffrey Epstein’s sex-trafficking operation, whereas his convicted confederate Ghislaine Maxwell fought again in federal court docket in opposition to making supplies in her case public.
The developments performed out from Washington to New York on Tuesday, pouring recent gasoline on an issue that President Donald Trump and his prime aides have been unable to shake for weeks.
Home Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer despatched a letter Tuesday to Legal professional Common Pam Bondi demanding the “full, full, unredacted Epstein recordsdata,” together with details about Maxwell, who’s at the moment serving a 20-year jail sentence for her function in sexually abusing underage ladies.
Whereas Comer is a Trump ally, his hand was compelled to problem the subpoena after Democrats on his committee staff up with rank-and-file Republicans to vote in favor of forcing disclosure of the Justice Division information.
Comer expanded on the Democratic-backed subpoena to additionally compel testimony from officers from prior administrations, together with frequent Trump targets resembling former FBI Director James Comey and President Invoice Clinton and his spouse Hillary, Trump’s opponent within the 2016 presidential election. It wasn’t clear what, if any, data they’ve on the case.
Nonetheless, the subpoenas arrange a possible confrontation between the Republican-led panel and the Trump administration over entry to the Justice Division’s investigative information.
Trump and his prime aides have confronted a firestorm over their dealing with of the Epstein case, with supporters and critics alike demanding they launch paperwork, monetary information and details about Epstein’s sex-trafficking operation and who could have dedicated crimes in opposition to underage ladies.
Congressional Democrats made life so politically painful for Home Republicans over Epstein that Speaker Mike Johnson despatched the Home residence early for its August break with a view to keep away from votes on publicly releasing the Epstein recordsdata. Democrats had repeatedly supplied amendments to laws to compel the administration to make the recordsdata public and GOP leaders halted work on main laws.
Trump has acknowledged he had a private relationship with Epstein way back and attended social gatherings with him however has denied understanding something about his sex-trafficking operation.
The Wall Avenue Journal stoked new controversy over Trump’s relationship with Epstein with a narrative final month that mentioned the president as soon as despatched a suggestive birthday letter to Epstein. Trump denied the story and sued the information group.
Within the face of rising strain from fellow Republicans and critics demanding extra details about the case, the Justice Division has requested federal judges in New York to unseal grand jury supplies associated to Epstein and Maxwell.
Maxwell fought again in court docket on Tuesday, opposing the request to unseal grand jury transcripts in her legal case, saying she continues to be combating her conviction.
“The general public curiosity recognized by the federal government — whereas comprehensible — is inadequate to warrant disclosure of grand jury supplies at the moment,” Maxwell’s attorneys wrote in a authorized submitting. “The federal government frames this curiosity as ‘historic,’ but it’s nothing greater than widespread and intense public scrutiny about an ongoing legal case.”
The Justice Division has indicated in court docket filings that the grand jury materials may be very restricted and doubtless received’t shed any new mild on what’s already publicly recognized about Epstein’s operation. As compared, the division has an enormous assortment of paperwork and recordsdata obtained throughout the investigations into Epstein and Maxwell, together with interviews with witnesses and victims.
The subpoena to the division seeks all paperwork and communications associated to seven completely different classes, together with the legal circumstances in opposition to Epstein and Maxwell and details about Epstein’s dying.
Comer’s panel gave the Justice Division till Aug. 19 to show over information associated to Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 as he confronted sex-trafficking fees.
A Justice Division spokesman didn’t reply to a request for remark, nor did a spokesperson for the Clintons.
Invoice Clinton, who has acknowledged touring on Epstein’s personal airplane, has beforehand denied understanding something concerning the financier’s sex-trafficking.
The Justice Division is historically reluctant to share all its investigative recordsdata with lawmakers and has resisted calls for up to now to make extra details about Epstein’s operation public.
Comer’s panel already subpoenaed Maxwell for an Aug. 11 deposition. However her attorneys have demanded legal immunity in return for her testimony and Comer hasn’t agreed to the request.
