One month into his role as the top Democrat on the powerful House Oversight Committee, Rep. Robert Garcia on Thursday, July 24, signaled his intention to keep up the pressure to ensure that all federal files related to the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking investigation are fully released.
Garcia, D-Long Beach, claimed a win for Democrats after one of the Oversight Committee’s subcommittees voted Wednesday to subpoena the U.S. Department of Justice for files on the Epstein case. The vote was 8-2, with three Republicans joining the four Democrats on the subcommittee on federal law enforcement, plus Garcia, in supporting the subpoena.
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Jeffrey Epstein, March 28, 2017. (From the Sex Offender Registry of New York via AP)
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Jeffrey Epstein, March 28, 2017. (From the Sex Offender Registry of New York via AP)
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Garcia called the vote “a huge win” for Democrats, and “a win for the American public” as well.
“Just yesterday, Oversight Democrats, the Democrats on my committee, forced a motion on Republicans, to force the full release of the Epstein files – unredacted, full list – to the full committee,” Garcia told reporters during a news conference in downtown Long Beach.
Garcia said he sent a letter Thursday to Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Kentucky, to ensure that the files are comprehensive – although victims’ names will be redacted – and to demand that the DOJ release them within 30 calendar days.
Comer had confirmed after the subcommittee’s vote that he would issue a subpoena.
“We on the Oversight Committee are ready to enforce the subpoena,” Garcia said during Thursday’s press conference.
Democrats, who are in the minority in Congress, are claiming victory over the Oversight subcommittee’s subpoena vote.
President Donald Trump and his administration are facing heavy blowback after the Justice Department announced earlier this month that it would not release the Epstein files.
The Wall Street Journal reported this week that in May, the Justice Department briefed Trump – who previously ran in the same social circle as Epstein – that his name appeared in the Epstein files, along with a number of other high-profile individuals.
Trump has never been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, and simply having one’s name mentioned in files from an investigation doesn’t imply any wrongdoing. Trump previously said he once considered Epstein a “terriffic guy” but that the pair had a falling out.
The Justice Department stunned conspiracy theorists, online sleuths and elements of Trump’s base this month when it released a two-page letter saying that a so-called Epstein “client list” that Bondi once intimated was on her desk did not exist and that officials did not plan to release any additional documents from its investigation – despite an earlier commitment to provide transparency.
Whether Bondi’s briefing to Trump in May influenced that decision is unclear.
The Justice Department did not comment directly on her meeting with Trump.
Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a joint statement that a review of the Epstein files showed there was nothing warranting further investigation or prosecution.
The department did not immediately respond to a request Thursday for comment about this week’s Oversight subcommittee subpoena vote.
Despite the explanation from Justice officials, Democrats and other members of the public, including some who voted for Trump, are demanding more transparency.
Besides Epstein, a convicted sex trafficker who died by suicide in 2019, there has been public interest in Ghislaine Maxwell, an associate of Epstein’s who was found guilty of child sex trafficking in late 2021 and later sentenced to 20 years in prison.
This week, Comer, following another vote by the Oversight Committee’s Subcommittee on Government Operations calling for Maxwell to be deposed, subpoenaed the Epstein associate.
In his subpoena letter, Comer cited a news article indicating that Maxwell was “willing to speak with Congress regarding Mr. Epstein’s criminal activities.”
He also referenced a request last week by Trump – who has been under pressure from the public, including some among his base of supporters seeking greater transparency – to the U.S. attorney general to release Grand Jury testimony if the court allows.
“While the (Justice) Department undertakes efforts to uncover and publicly disclose additional information related to your and Mr. Epstein’s cases, it is imperative that Congress conduct oversight of the federal government’s enforcement of sex trafficking laws generally and specifically its handling of the investigation and prosecution of you and Mr. Epstein,” Comer wrote.
“In particular, the Committee seeks your testimony to inform the consideration of potential legislative solutions to improve federal efforts to combat sex trafficking and reform the use of non-prosecution agreements and/or plea agreements in sex-crime investigations,” Comer wrote.
On Thursday, Garcia told reporters he will attend Maxwell’s deposition next month on behalf of House Democrats and members of the Oversight Committee. He hinted that Maxwell, whom he believes is hoping for a pardon from the president, may testify favorably in Trump’s favor.
“We cannot just trust that Republicans are going to ask the right questions,” Garcia said, adding that anything Maxwell says should be “corroborated with documents and records.”
That, he added, is why it’s critical for Congress to be provided the full Epstein files.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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