US Capitol building / Envato Market
by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Washington D.C. Bureau Staff
WASHINGTON (Worthy News) – The House Oversight Committee on Tuesday released more than 33,000 pages of records tied to disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, but the long-awaited drop has only deepened bipartisan frustration and demands for transparency.
The files, turned over by the Justice Department following a subpoena, include flight logs, court filings, depositions, jail surveillance footage, memos, and victim interviews. But Democratic lawmakers noted that nearly all of the records — 97% — had already been made public, fueling accusations of a political “document dump.”
“We’re in the process of uploading those documents for full transparency so everyone in America can see them,” Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) said. “We want those to be public as soon as possible.”
Lawmakers Divided Over Next Steps
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) dismissed the release as inadequate, accusing the administration of shielding powerful figures. He introduced a bipartisan resolution Tuesday that would force the Justice Department to release all Epstein-related files, unclassified and unredacted, within 30 days. His resolution has already drawn support from lawmakers across the aisle, including Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), and Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.).
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) downplayed Massie’s push, calling it “superfluous” and “inartfully drafted” for failing to protect victims’ identities. The White House also blasted the resolution, saying it was an “attention-seeking” move that could undermine the committee’s ongoing efforts.
Victims’ Stories Resurface
Among the newly released files are at least eight videos of police interviews with victims, many recorded between 2005 and 2006. In one video, a teenage girl described being paid $350 for sex after giving Epstein a massage at age 17. Other records include audio recordings from Florida’s criminal investigation into Epstein’s abuse network.
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), the committee’s top Democrat, criticized Republicans for rehashing old material while failing to deliver new answers. “There is no mention of any client list or anything that improves transparency or justice for victims,” Garcia said.
Both Massie and Khanna are set to appear alongside Epstein survivors Wednesday morning to press for full disclosure.
Pressure on the Trump Administration
The release has also renewed political headaches for President Donald Trump, who once moved in Epstein’s social circles and pledged during his campaign to release the files. Trump has since downplayed the issue, telling supporters “no one should waste time” on the case.
Still, Epstein’s death by suicide in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019 — while he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges — sparked a wave of conspiracy theories, particularly among Trump’s base. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found that most Americans, including a majority of Republicans, believe the government is covering up key details.
With bipartisan pressure mounting, survivors and lawmakers insist the American public has a right to see every unclassified record — including the elusive “client list” and Ghislaine Maxwell’s so-called “birthday book” — without political interference.
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