The Home Committee on Oversight and Authorities Reform stated it has launched tens of hundreds of data associated to Jeffrey Epstein, supplied by the Division of Justice.
“On August 5, Chairman Comer issued a subpoena for data associated to Mr. Jeffrey Epstein, and the Division of Justice has indicated it’ll proceed producing these data whereas making certain the redaction of sufferer identities and any little one sexual abuse materials,” the committee stated in a launch asserting the discharge of 33,295 pages of Epstein-related data that included a hyperlink for the place to entry them.
Democratic members of the Home Oversight Committee have beforehand stated that a lot of the recordsdata turned over by the DOJ are already public; California Rep. Ro Khanna has stated 97% are within the public area, whereas 3% are new.
This photograph supplied by the New York State Intercourse Offender Registry exhibits Jeffrey Epstein, March 28, 2017.
New York State Intercourse Offender Registry
Rep. Robert Garcia, rating member of the Home Oversight Committee, stated a brand new disclosure in Tuesday’s launch is “lower than 1,000 pages from the Customs and Border Safety’s log of flight places of the Epstein aircraft from 2000-2014 and kinds in step with reentry again to the U.S.”
“The 33,000 pages of Epstein paperwork James Comer has determined to ‘launch’ have been already principally public info. To the American folks — do not let this idiot you,” Garcia, D-Calif., stated in an announcement whereas calling for “actual transparency.”
The Trump administration has been coping with the fallout from its resolution to not launch supplies associated to the investigation into Epstein, the rich financier and convicted intercourse offender who died by suicide in jail in 2019, following the blowback it acquired from MAGA supporters after it introduced final month that no extra recordsdata could be launched.
Epstein, whose personal island property was within the U.S. Virgin Islands, has lengthy been rumored to have stored a “consumer listing” of celebrities and politicians, which right-wing influencers have baselessly accused authorities of hiding.
The Justice Division and FBI introduced in July that they’d discovered no proof that Epstein stored a consumer listing, after a number of prime officers, earlier than becoming a member of the administration, had themselves accused the federal government of defending info concerning the Epstein case.
Hours earlier than releasing the data on Tuesday, members of the Home Oversight Committee had a gathering with Epstein victims. Oversight Chair Rep. James Comer informed reporters he intends to broaden the scope of the investigation after listening to from the victims, together with new witnesses.
“We’ll do every thing we will to provide the American public the transparency they search, in addition to present accountability in reminiscence of the victims who’ve already handed away, in addition to people who have been within the room and lots of others who have not come ahead,” Comer, R-Ky., stated.
Earlier on the Home ground on Tuesday, Republican Rep. Thomas Massie formally filed a discharge petition — a procedural device to bypass GOP management and pressure a vote on a measure to compel the Justice Division to publicly launch the Epstein recordsdata.
Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, who serves on the Home Oversight Committee, stated forward of the discharge of the Epstein-released recordsdata on Tuesday that she does not imagine a vote to launch them “will even come to the ground being that they may all be made public.”
Although throughout Home votes Tuesday night time, Democrats have been lined up on the ground to signal the discharge petition. Massie additionally stated he nonetheless plans to maneuver ahead with it.
“I have never had time to take a look at all of the paperwork have been launched by the Oversight Committee, however I believe the scope of their investigation is such that the issues they requested aren’t even going to incorporate all of the issues that we want, and the few paperwork that we have now been in a position to view are closely redacted to the diploma that they would not present us something new,” he informed reporters Tuesday night time.
“Any person wants to indicate us what’s new in these paperwork, to know whether or not it is moot or not,” he added.
ABC Information’ John Parkinson contributed to this report.