The U.S. Congress Oversight Committee last night published online over 33,000 pages of documents on the Epstein Case that the Department of Justice provided to them last month regarding the investigation into the life, crimes, and death of the pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, who committed suicide in prison in 2019 weeks after being arrested in New York.
The move, rather than an act of transparency, is seen by critics and the Democratic opposition, which is the minority in both legislative chambers, as the opposite. It is an attempt by the Republicans to appease the anger of their base, who have heard for years about alleged collusion between the Democrats and Epstein, and the existence of a list of powerful and famous clients protected by the "deep state." These millions of people expected that with Trump in office, 'the whole truth' would be revealed and are deeply upset by not being given what they demand.
Before the summer break, Trump lost his temper and patience on this issue. Elon Musk accused him of being on Epstein's client list and covering up everything to protect himself. Journalists kept asking him about it. And Congress attempted several votes to force, as has happened now, the Department of Justice to declassify tens of thousands of documents. About the investigation, the clients, and the circumstances of the death, which those deeply involved in conspiracy theories consider a farce, claiming he was murdered in his cell.
The administration has refused to go further, stating that there are no client lists, that everything that needs to be known is known. Or can be known without harming the victims. Justice has even asked a court for permission to disclose some more details, but it was rejected to protect the identity and safety of those who testified in secret. Six of them testified this Tuesday in Congress to explain what they experienced, and some of the lawmakers left the room in tears. But the Republican leader is blocking all steps for further investigation or deeper scrutiny.
Trump's team is deeply troubled by this. They chose to publish 33,000 pages because Congressman Thomas Massie, from their own party but now an enemy of the White House, was willing to force a vote and claimed to have enough votes in the lower chamber to win. "There is a great deal of pressure campaign from the White House right now, and also from the Speaker of the House, but I believe there are enough Republicans who listen to their constituents and care about these victims, so we will get the 218 signatures we need," he said.
Their goal is not just this batch of documents, which the White House handed to MAGA and right-wing influencers in February, including court records, prison surveillance recordings, redacted records, or statements, but many more, as the Department of Justice, led by Trump's former personal lawyer Pam Bondi, did not hand them all over. The president even pressured his top officials to advance the summer recess to interrupt discussions and votes, as it was dominating media and public attention.
Robert García, the top-ranking Democrat on the Oversight Committee, denounced in a statement that "the 33,000 pages of Epstein documents that James Comer [his conservative counterpart on the Committee] decided to 'publish' were mostly already public information. American people: do not be deceived. After a thorough review, the oversight Democrats have discovered that 97% of the documents received from the Department of Justice were already public. There is no mention of any client list or anything that enhances transparency or justice for the victims. House Republicans are trying to put on a show with the release of already public documents. Pam Bondi has said the client list was on her desk. She could publish it right now if she wanted," he stated.
Meanwhile, Epstein's main accomplice, his friend and employee Ghislaine Maxwell, serving a 20-year sentence for providing him with underage girls for his sexual parties, continues to negotiate with the Department of Justice. Bondi's number 2 met with her, and the transcripts have also been published. Showing how Maxwell, aware of the opportunity to perhaps secure a pardon or at least much more favorable conditions (she has already been transferred to a more lenient prison), said what the Government needs to protect Trump. Such as denying the existence of a client list or that Epstein ever blackmailed powerful figures. Or denying that the president and he had close relationships.