Justice Department faces subpoena over Epstein files by House Oversight Committee

[ad_1] A Home Oversight subcommittee voted Wednesday to subpoena the Division of Justice to launch the Jeffrey Epstein recordsdata.

The movement handed by a vote of 8-2. Notably, three GOP lawmakers -- Reps. Nancy Mace, Scott Perry and Brian Jack -- joined with Democrats on the subcommittee to approve the subpoena, defying Republican management.

The Home Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer should signal the subpoena earlier than it may be formally issued, per committee guidelines. Comer plans to log out on the subpoena, a Republican committee supply informed ABC Information.

The highest Democrat on the subcommittee, Rep. Summer season Lee, initially provided the movement.

Audrey Strauss, appearing U.S. legal professional for the Southern District of New York, factors to a photograph of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, throughout a information convention in New York on July 2, 2020.

John Minchillo/AP, FILE

Republicans on the committee pushed again and amended the subpoena to additionally embrace communications by Biden administration officers and the DOJ. These officers embrace Invoice and Hillary Clinton, James Comey, Loretta Lynch, Eric Holder, Merrick Garland, Robert Mueller, William Barr, Jeff Periods and Alberto Gonzales.

Oversight Rating Member Rep. Robert Garcia mentioned in an announcement that the subcommittee's vote on Wednesday "was simply step one towards accountability, and we are going to proceed pushing for the reality."

"Immediately, Oversight Democrats fought for transparency and accountability on the Epstein recordsdata and gained. Home Republicans did not make it simple, however the movement was lastly handed to pressure the Division of Justice to launch the Epstein recordsdata," Garcia mentioned.

The information comes the identical day Home Oversight Committee Chairman Comer on Wednesday issued a subpoena to Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted affiliate of Jeffrey Epstein, for a deposition to happen at Federal Correctional Establishment Tallahassee on Aug. 11.

"The info and circumstances surrounding each your and Mr. Epstein's circumstances have acquired immense public curiosity and scrutiny," Comer wrote in an announcement Wednesday.

Maxwell was convicted of intercourse trafficking and different fees and sentenced to twenty years in jail in 2022.

"What we're speaking about right here is somebody who's in federal jail on attraction, so our attorneys must talk together with her attorneys to see if there are phrases, if she desires," Comer mentioned earlier than the subpoena was issued. "If there are not any phrases, we'll roll in there fast."

The scenario shall be much like Comer's effort to interview Jason Galanis, a former enterprise companion of Hunter Biden and Devon Archer, through the GOP's impeachment inquiry of then-President Joe Biden.

"I did that with [Jason] Galanis, and the Democrats have been actual offended that we might need to interview anybody in jail. However now they're, they're all they need to interview somebody in jail," Comer mentioned.

The committee has proven a propensity to document video of the interviews and launch content material afterwards -- because it did with a number of former Biden officers who invoked their fifth Modification rights earlier this summer time -- so it is potential there could possibly be handout video from the deposition.

Individually, Lawyer Normal Pam Bondi mentioned Monday that Deputy Lawyer Todd Blanche will meet with Maxwell someday within the "coming days."

President Donald Trump final week mentioned on his social media platform that he had ordered the Justice Division to "launch all Grand Jury testimony with respect to Jeffrey Epstein, topic solely to Courtroom Approval."

Comer has additionally signaled that the circumstances of a closed-door deposition at a federal jail may appeal to each Democrats and Republicans to attend the interview.

"There shall be so many members of Congress that'll need to be in that jail," Comer mentioned. "I might assume that there will be plenty of members of the Oversight Committee on each -- in each events that'll need to be there."

Ghislaine Maxwell attends VIP Night of Dialog for Girls's Mind Well being Initiative, Moderated by Tina Brown at Spring Studios on October 18, 2016 in New York Metropolis.

Sylvain Gaboury/Paul Bruinooge/Patrick McMullan through Getty Pictures

A congressional subpoena is a proper authorized order issued by a congressional committee or particular person compelling their testimony.

David Oscar Markus, appellate counsel for Maxwell, mentioned in an announcement to ABC Information that Maxwell "seems to be ahead" to assembly with Blanche and that assembly will inform how she proceeds with the subpoena.

"As for the congressional subpoena, Ms. Maxwell is taking this one step at a time. She seems to be ahead to her assembly with the Division of Justice, and that dialogue will assist inform how she proceeds," he mentioned.

Markus additionally responded to feedback from Home Speaker Mike Johnson earlier Wednesday questioning Maxwell's credibility as a witness.

"In the event that they see match to herald Ghislaine Maxwell for testimony, that is effective. I'll observe the apparent concern, the caveat that Chairman Comer and I and everybody has that would she be counted on to inform the reality? Is she a reputable witness?" Johnson mentioned to reporters.

"We perceive Speaker Johnson's common concern -- Congress ought to all the time vet the credibility of its witnesses. However on this case, these issues are unfounded. If Ms. Maxwell agrees to testify earlier than Congress and never take the fifth -- and that is still an enormous if -- she would testify honestly, as she all the time has mentioned she would and as she's going to with Mr. Blanche. The reality shouldn't be feared or preemptively dismissed," Markus mentioned in an announcement.