DOJ Starts Giving Congress Documents This Week

Topline

The chairman of the House Oversight Committee said Monday the Justice Department should start turning over files related to Jeffrey Epstein later this week—though it remains unclear when they could be made public, and critics warn the piecemeal approach could allow the Trump administration to further delay the release of most documents.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., speaks to reporters at the Capitol in Washington D.C. on August 18.

Key Facts

House Oversight Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., confirmed in a statement Monday the DOJ will start turning over documents to the committee on Friday, after lawmakers issued a subpoena for documents related to Epstein’s case earlier this month.

The committee asked for the documents by Tuesday, but Comer said “it will take the Department time to produce all the records and ensure the identification of victims and any child sexual abuse material are redacted.”

Comer noted the DOJ has “many records” in its custody that the subpoena covers, and did not say how long it could take for all the documents to be turned over to lawmakers.

The House Oversight Committee confirmed in a statement to Forbes Tuesday that it “intends” to eventually largely make the documents it receives public “after thorough review to ensure all victims’ identification and child sexual abuse material are redacted,” though it’s unclear how long that review may take.

The committee also noted it will “consult with the DOJ to ensure any documents released do not negatively impact ongoing criminal cases and investigations.”

As part of its investigation, the House Oversight Committee also subpoenaed a number of former government officials to testify about their knowledge of the Epstein investigation, with the first interview on Monday with former Attorney General William Barr.

What Epstein Documents Does The Subpoena Include?

House Oversight’s subpoena to the DOJ called for it to turn over a broad variety of documents, including all documents and communications relating to Epstein and associate Ghislaine Maxwell that are “further relating or referring to human trafficking, exploitation of minors, sexual abuse, or related activity.” That includes documents from the government’s investigations into Epstein and Maxwell and their resulting prosecutions, as well as the government’s 2007 investigation into Epstein that resulted in a non-prosecution agreement allowing him to escape more serious legal consequences. The subpoena also calls for documents and communications related to Epstein’s death, and Republicans on the House Oversight Committee added a request for all communications between former President Joe Biden’s White House and the DOJ regarding Epstein. Jack Scarola, an attorney representing some of Epstein’s victims, told MSNBC Monday there are a number of documents the DOJ has in its possession that could shed additional light on Epstein’s case, such as a 80-page prosecution memorandum that was drafted in 2007 covering the government’s investigation into Epstein, and a federal indictment from the time that was never filed due to the financier’s resulting non-prosecution agreement.

Chief Critics

Democrats and advocates for Epstein’s victims have been critical of Comer’s statement saying the DOJ would “start” turning over documents on Friday, suggesting the apparent piecemeal approach to complying with the subpoena could be a way for the Trump administration and Republicans to further delay any documents being released. “What I see … is the continuation of a massive, government-sponsored coverup,” Scarola told MSNBC Monday about Comer’s statement on the documents being turned over. “What the victims have received repeatedly is deception, delay and diversion, and this is one more example of that unfortunate re-vicimization.” Democrats on the House Oversight Committee said Monday they would oppose any delay of the documents being released, or attempts by the DOJ to limit what gets turned over, saying, “Late or partial disclosures won’t cut it.” The committee’s minority wing said they want “transparency, and we can’t trust the DOJ to be honest,” adding on X, “We will keep pressing until the American people get the truth.”

Who Will Testify To The Committee About Epstein?

In addition to Barr, the House Oversight committee has so far issued subpoenas to former Attorneys General Alberto Gonzales, Jeff Sessions, Loretta Lynch, Eric Holder and Merrick Garland, as well as former FBI Directors Robert Mueller and James Comey. The committee has also subpoenaed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton, who has been identified as a friend of Epstein’s, but has never been accused of wrongdoing and has denied any knowledge of Epstein’s alleged sexual abuse. Democrats have pushed for the committee to subpoena Alex Acosta, the prosecutor who negotiated Epstein’s previous non-prosecution agreement—and later went on to become President Donald Trump’s labor secretary. While Acosta is so far not on the list of subpoenaed witnesses, Comer did not rule out that he could still be called to testify, telling reporters Monday, “We’ll bring in everyone that we think can add information to the investigation.”

What About Ghislaine Maxwell?

Lawmakers have separately subpoenaed Maxwell, who has been identified as Epstein’s primary associate in his sexual abuse scheme and is now serving a 20-year prison sentence connected to her work with the financier. But it’s unclear if Maxwell will actually testify, despite her sitting down with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche for two days of interviews in July. Maxwell’s attorney sent a letter to lawmakers in July saying Maxwell will only “cooperate” with Congress if certain conditions are met, including lawmakers either waiting until after Maxwell’s appeal process of her conviction has concluded, or helping her secure a pardon or other “clemency” from her criminal sentence.

How Long Will The Investigation Take?

While it remains to be seen how long it will take the DOJ to turn over all its Epstein-related documents to the House Oversight Committee, it will take until at least October for the committee to gather information for its probe. The committee’s interviews with subpoenaed witnesses are scheduled through Oct. 14, and it’s still possible more could be added after that date.

What To Watch For

Another vote on making the Epstein documents public. Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., intend to call for a House vote on unsealing the Epstein files and forcing the Trump administration to make them public after Congress returns from its August recess. The lawmakers have scheduled a press conference for Sept. 3 to discuss their bill, The Hill notes, though it’s unclear when any vote could take place.

Key Background

Epstein was a financier known for his coterie of high-profile clients and friends, and was accused of sexually abusing more than 100 women prior to his arrest and subsequent death in prison in 2019. Interest in his case has surged this summer after the DOJ released a memo in July saying it would not release any further Epstein files, also debunking a number of theories related to the financier, such as the existence of a so-called “client list.” The memo came after top Trump officials like Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel had long promised the files’ release—and played a role in spreading the conspiracy theories the memo debunked—sparking broad public backlash, including from Trump’s base. A subcommittee on the GOP-controlled House Oversight Committee voted 8-2 in July to subpoena the DOJ for the Epstein documents amid the public uproar, with Democrats initially calling for the vote but ultimately being joined by several Republicans in supporting the subpoenas.