As the Congress returns to Washington, so do the Epstein files with a renewed fervor. The House Oversight Committee recently released thousands of files related to Jeffrey Epstein that it had received from the Justice Department.
While the committee has released more than 30,000 pages, the democrats in the committee believe that the Justice Department has more documents.
According to a statement by Oversight Democrats: “The 33,000 pages of Epstein documents James Comer has decided to ‘release’ were already mostly public information. There is no mention of any client list or anything that improves transparency or justice for victims.”
However, the files still include flight logs, court filings, jail surveillance footage, redacted records, depositions, and memos. While it lacks the real client list, it has driven a wedge between President Trump and the Republican Party.
Republicans Push For Symbolic Vote After Pressure From Voter Base
The growing pressure from voters has forced House Republicans to add a symbolic vote to the chamber’s calendar that would call on the Oversight Committee to continue its investigation into the Epstein files. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson sat for hours in a closed-door interview with six women who say they were abused by the late Jeffrey Epstein.
Within days, House Republicans are expected to take their first major floor votes on forcing the DOJ to release more records related to the case. And Johnson is under intense pressure to meet the base’s demands for transparency without going against Trump.
Democrats have criticized the symbolic vote. Democrat Thomas Massie has filed for discharge of the petition and began collecting signatures, as not “wide enough.” Massie stated, “It’s basically telling the House Oversight Committee to keep doing what he’s doing, but this vote is unnecessary, and it’s to provide political cover to those Republicans who may not be sponsoring or signing the effort that Ro Khanna and I put forward.” Johnson brushed off Massie’s criticism, telling reporters later in the afternoon that he “would not put much stock in what Thomas Massie says.”
Epstein Survivors Take Matters Into Their Own Hands
Epstein survivors called for full transparency on Wednesday following the public release of thousands of pages of documents by Congress. Speaking at a news conference, survivor Lisa Phillips said that victims are now creating their own list of individuals who abused them through Epstein’s network.
“We know the names. Many of us were abused by them,” she said. “We will confidentially compile the names we all know are regularly in the Epstein world,” Phillips said. Many people were aware of Epstein’s crimes but remained silent.
“Why was he allowed to sponsor visas for young models using their immigration status as leverage to abuse them and silence them?” Phillips said. “Epstein was not just a serial predator; he was an international human trafficker. And many around him knew this, many participated, and many profited – and yet he was protected.”
Phillips was one of the many voices urging for greater transparency from Congress and the Trump administration.
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