House Oversight Committee subpoenas the Justice Department for Epstein files

[ad_1] <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4000x2667+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc7%2F55%2F598c5ef24f3eb3ce536ab13f462c%2Fgettyimages-22252652351.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4000x2667+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc7%2F55%2F598c5ef24f3eb3ce536ab13f462c%2Fgettyimages-22252652351.jpg" class="img" alt="The Department of Justice building is seen on July 20, 2025 in Washington, D.C. The House Oversight Committee has issued a subpoena to the DOJ for files related to its investigation of Jeffrey Epstein." fetchpriority="high"/> The Division of Justice constructing is seen on July 20, 2025 in Washington, D.C. The Home Oversight Committee has issued a subpoena to the DOJ for recordsdata associated to its investigation of Jeffrey Epstein. Eric Lee/Getty Pictures disguise caption

toggle caption

Eric Lee/Getty Pictures The Home Oversight Committee has subpoenaed the Division of Justice for information associated to its investigation of convicted sex-offender Jeffrey Epstein and his longtime affiliate Ghislaine Maxwell.

The subpoena, considered one of 11 formally issued on Tuesday, requires "all paperwork and communications relating or referring to" Epstein and Maxwell, together with data contained of their respective court docket circumstances, by August 19. It got here practically two weeks after Republicans on one of many panel's subcommittees joined with Democrats and voted to direct committee chair James Comer, R-Ky., to subpoena the DOJ.

"Whereas the Division undertakes efforts to uncover and publicly disclose extra data associated to Mr. Epstein and Ms. Maxwell's circumstances, it's crucial that Congress conduct oversight of the federal authorities's enforcement of intercourse trafficking legal guidelines typically and particularly its dealing with of the investigation and prosecution of Mr. Epstein and Ms. Maxwell," Comer mentioned in a canopy letter addressed to Lawyer Basic Pam Bondi.

The DOJ declined to remark.

Along with the DOJ subpoena, Comer issued subpoenas looking for testimony from a number of former authorities officers. The checklist consists of former President Invoice Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in addition to prime legislation enforcement officers from earlier administrations, together with former FBI administrators James Comey and Robert Mueller and former attorneys common Merrick Garland and Invoice Barr.

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5841x3894+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F76%2Ff8%2Fb44563ef47b9a97118cd9940c941%2Fgettyimages-2219861401.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5841x3894+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F76%2Ff8%2Fb44563ef47b9a97118cd9940c941%2Fgettyimages-2219861401.jpg" class="img" alt="House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., waits for the start of a hearing at the U.S. Capitol on June 12." loading="lazy"/> Home Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., waits for the beginning of a listening to on the U.S. Capitol on June 12. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Pictures disguise caption

toggle caption

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Pictures The committee is hoping to start the depositions in mid-August and proceed them into the autumn, in accordance with Comer's assertion.

A possible conflict between Congress and the White Home The subpoena for DOJ information dangers a possible conflict between Congress and the White Home over the Epstein saga. For practically a month, President Trump has tried to curb mounting frustration from his base and calls for added transparency, following the discharge of a DOJ memo saying there was no proof of an alleged "shopper checklist" held by Epstein.

Trump has tried to reduce a few of the questions and criticism on the difficulty by lobbying for the discharge of grand jury testimony related to Epstein, who died in jail whereas ready to go on trial on intercourse trafficking expenses in 2019. The administration can be looking for the discharge of grand jury testimony from the trial for Maxwell, who's serving a 20-year sentence on intercourse trafficking and different expenses.

In a court docket submitting submitted on Tuesday, Maxwell's attorneys pushed again in opposition to the federal government's try and make the transcripts public, arguing it might negatively affect her efforts to have the Supreme Courtroom overview her case.

"Public curiosity is inadequate when Maxwell's authorized and reputational pursuits are at stake," attorneys for Maxwell wrote. "These elements weigh closely in favor of preserving the secrecy of the grand jury supplies."

The administration has additionally tried to hunt out data immediately from Maxwell. On the finish of July, Deputy Lawyer Basic Todd Blanche spent two days interviewing her behind closed doorways, a transfer authorized consultants argued was uncommon for a senior DOJ official.

The DOJ has not publicized what was mentioned within the assembly.

Final Friday, Maxwell was additionally moved from the federal jail in Florida the place she had been serving her sentence to a jail camp in Texas. Regardless of confirming the switch, the Federal Bureau of Prisons didn't present particulars on the circumstances.