Oversight panel issues subpoenas for Epstein documents
House Oversight Committee Pursues Comprehensive Investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell
The House Oversight Committee, chaired by James Comer, has taken significant steps to delve deeper into the Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell cases. The committee has issued multiple subpoenas for documents and depositions, targeting the Department of Justice (DOJ) and several former and current government officials who were involved during various periods of the investigations and prosecutions.
The subpoena issued to Ghislaine Maxwell, currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking and other crimes, requires her to appear for a deposition on August 11, 2025, at the Federal Correctional Institution in Tallahassee. The DOJ is cooperating to facilitate her deposition, which forms part of an effort to uncover more about Epstein's criminal activities and Maxwell's role in them.
The committee's initial request for briefings and the public release of the entirety of the Epstein files from the DOJ dates back to early 2025. While some cooperation was forthcoming, the DOJ refused to release new or previously non-public records, prompting subpoenas intended to compel full disclosure.
Former Attorney General Merrick Garland, who served during the period when Maxwell was convicted, has also been subpoenaed for a deposition on October 2, 2025. The DOJ declined to release additional Epstein files under Garland's tenure, and this deposition aims to understand the DOJ's handling and decisions relating to the Epstein investigation and prosecution.
Chairman Comer issued a subpoena to the DOJ itself on August 5, 2025, demanding the complete production of all Epstein files held by the Department. This reflects the ongoing efforts to obtain all pertinent documents and grand jury materials related to Epstein and Maxwell.
The committee's actions are driven by a desire to investigate the facts and circumstances surrounding Epstein and Maxwell’s cases more thoroughly, given the intense public interest and scrutiny, and to address allegations of withheld or classified information in the federal investigation.
The subpoenas were sent to individuals who served under Democratic and Republican presidents, as they were overseeing the Justice Department when it was grappling with legal matters related to Epstein. The deadline for the delivery of the documents is Aug. 19, as requested by Rep. James R. Comer, R-Ky., the committee's chair.
The move by the committee comes as the battle over the Epstein investigation continues to divide the House. The Trump administration's decision to close its investigation into Epstein without releasing additional files has widened a rift in the GOP. Three Republicans broke from Trump to back the subpoena for the Epstein files. Should the Justice Department fail to meet the Aug. 19 deadline, it could lead to a high-profile clash between the Trump administration and Congress.
Speaker Mike Johnson began a five-week recess a day earlier than scheduled, and Reps. Robert Garcia of California and Summer Lee of Pennsylvania led the push for a subpoena for the Epstein files. The subpoenas were issued by the House Oversight Committee, and Democrats have seized on the disagreement about the Epstein investigation.
- The House Oversight Committee, in an effort to delve deeper into the political aspects and general news surrounding the Jeffrey Epstein case, has subpoenaed former Attorney General Merrick Garland to discuss the Department of Justice's (DOJ) handling and decisions related to the Epstein investigation and prosecution.
- The committee's ongoing investigation, fueled by public interest and concerns about withheld or classified information, extends beyond political parties, with subpoenas sent to individuals who served under both Democratic and Republican presidents.
- As part of the committee's pursuit of policy-and-legislation changes, the subpoenas issued to various figures like Ghislaine Maxwell and the DOJ aim to shed light on traffic and crime issues that arose during the investigations and prosecutions of Epstein and his associates.
