House subcommittee votes to subpoena Justice Department for Epstein files
Three Republicans on the panel voted with Democrats for the subpoena, sending it through on an 8-2 vote tally. The Republican subcommittee chairman, Rep. Clay Higgins of Louisiana, said that work was beginning to draft the subpoena but that it would take some time for both sides to work out the final language.
"If the Republican Party, if our colleagues on this committee don't join us in this vote, then what they're essentially doing is joining President Donald Trump in complicity," Rep. Summer Lee, the Pennsylvania Democrat who made the motion for the subpoena, told reporters outside the hearing room.
Johnson told reporters earlier Wednesday there was no need to vote on legislation calling for the release of the Epstein files this week because the Trump administration is "already doing everything within their power to release them."
Yet Democrats have delighted this week in pressing Republicans to support the release of the files. Their efforts halted the GOP's legislative agenda for the week and turned attention to an issue that Trump has unsuccessfully implored his supporters to forget about.
"They're fleeing our work, our job and sending us back home because they don't want to vote to release these files. This is something that they ran on. This is something that they talked about: the importance of transparency, holding pedophiles accountable," Lee said.
'It's all connected'
Democratic leaders are hoping to make the issue about much more than just Epstein, who died in his New York jail cell six years ago while he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges.
"Why haven't Republicans released the Epstein files to the American people? It's reasonable to conclude that Republicans are continuing to protect the lifestyles of the rich and the shameless, even if that includes pedophiles," said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries at a news conference. "So it's all connected."
Partner service
Learn French with Gymglish
Thanks to a daily lesson, an original story and a personalized correction, in 15 minutes per day.
Try for free
It comes as both parties are gearing up to take their messaging to voters on Trump's big multitrillion-dollar tax breaks and spending cuts bill . For Republicans, it's "beautiful" legislation that will spark economic growth; for Democrats, it's an "ugly" gift mostly to the richest Americans that undermines health care for low-income people.
Yet as furor has grown on the right over the Trump administration's reversal on promises related to Epstein, several Democrats have seized on the opportunity to divide Republicans on the issue. Republican leaders accuse Democrats of caring about the issue purely for political gain. They point out that the Department of Justice held on to the Epstein investigation through the presidency of Democrat Joe Biden.
Trump's Justice Department is also seeking the release of testimony from secret grand jury proceedings in the Epstein case, though that effort is unlikely to produce new revelations. The House Oversight Committee, with support from Republicans, also advanced Tuesday a subpoena for Epstein's former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, for a deposition.
Trump's name in files
Epstein was a friend to numerous high-profile people for years, including Trump. His 2019 prison cell death – ruled a suicide – supercharged a conspiracy theory long promoted by many of Trump's supporters that Epstein had run an international pedophile ring and that elites wanted to make sure he never revealed their secrets.
After Trump came to power for a second term this January, his administration promised to release Epstein case files. But when US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on July 7 that she had nothing to release, Republicans were furious – and Trump has been attempting to control the scandal ever since.
Things got even more complicated for him after the Wall Street Journal last week reported that Trump had written a lewd birthday letter to Epstein in 2003. Trump denies this and has sued the Journal for at least $10 billion. On Wednesday, the WSJ dropped a new story, saying Bondi had informed Trump in May that his name appeared several times in the Epstein files, even if there was no indication of wrongdoing.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
France 24
7 hours ago
- France 24
China calls for shared AI future, offering tech to developing countries
02:02 27/07/2025 Taiwanese voters reject attempt to recall China-friendly lawmakers Asia / Pacific 27/07/2025 Thailand and Cambodia clash despite ceasefire hopes Asia / Pacific 27/07/2025 Thai-Cambodian border conflit: 200,000 thousand people displaced Asia / Pacific 27/07/2025 Thai-Cambodia border clashes continue despite Trump's ceasefire call Asia / Pacific 26/07/2025 Voters in Taiwan reject bid to oust China-friendly MPs in closely watched poll Asia / Pacific 26/07/2025 Civilians flee Thai-Cambodia border zone as death toll rises Asia / Pacific 26/07/2025 Thailand and Cambodia trade accusations as deadly border clashes enter third day Asia / Pacific 26/07/2025 India: fear of mass disenfranchisement after Bihar state rushes revision of voter rolls Asia / Pacific 26/07/2025 Taiwan holds largest ever recall vote, potentially ousting China-friendly lawmakers Asia / Pacific
Euronews
8 hours ago
- Euronews
Thailand and Cambodia show support for US-backed ceasefire
Thailand and Cambodia have expressed their support for negotiating a US-mediated ceasefire following four days of fighting, which has so far left at least 34 people dead and displaced more than 168,000. Trump posted on Truth Social on Saturday that he spoke to the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia and suggested he would not move forward with trade agreements with either country if the hostilities continued. He later said both sides agreed to meet to negotiate a ceasefire. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said Sunday his country agreed to pursue an 'immediate and unconditional ceasefire.' He said Trump told him that Thailand had also agreed to halt attacks following Trump's conversation with Acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai. 'This is positive news for the soldiers and people of both countries,' Hun Manet said in a statement. He said he tasked his deputy, Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, to coordinate next steps with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and to engage directly with Thailand's foreign minister to implement the ceasefire. Thailand expressed cautious support. Phumtham thanked Trump and said that Thailand agreed in principle to a ceasefire but stressed the need for 'sincere intention' from Cambodia, the Thai Foreign Ministry said. Phumtam called for swift bilateral talks to discuss concrete steps toward a peaceful resolution, it said. The fighting first flared up on Thursday after a land mine explosion along the border wounded five Thai soldiers. Both sides blamed each other for starting the clashes. Both countries recalled their ambassadors and Thailand closed its border crossings with Cambodia. Despite the diplomatic efforts, fighting continued Sunday along parts of the contested border, with both sides refusing to budge and trading blame over renewed shelling and troop movements. Col. Richa Suksowanont, a Thai army deputy spokesperson, said Cambodian forces fired heavy artillery into Surin province, including at civilian homes early Sunday. He said Cambodia also launched rocket attacks targeting the ancient Ta Muen Thom temple claimed by both countries, and other areas in a bid to reclaim territory secured by Thai troops. Thai forces responded with long-range artillery to strike Cambodian artillery and rocket launchers. Richa said Trump's efforts to mediate was a 'separate matter.' The battlefield operations will continue and a ceasefire can only happen if Cambodia formally initiates negotiations, he added. 'Any cessation of hostilities cannot be reached while Cambodia is severely lacking in good faith and repeatedly violating the basic principles of human rights and humanitarian law," Thailand's Foreign Ministry said separately. Cambodian Defence Ministry spokesperson Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata accused Thai forces of escalating the violence with bombardment of Cambodian territory early Sunday, followed by a "large-scale incursion" involving tanks and ground troops in multiple areas. 'Such actions undermine all efforts toward peaceful resolution and expose Thailand's clear intent to escalate rather than de-escalate the conflict,' she said. Thailand on Sunday reported a new death of a soldier, bringing the total number of fatalities to 21, mostly civilians. Cambodia said 13 people have been killed. More than 131,000 people in Thailand have evacuated to safe locations and over 37,000 people fled from three Cambodian provinces. Many border villages are mostly deserted, with many schools and hospitals shut. Pichayut Surasit, an air-conditioning technician in Thailand, said the sudden outbreak of fighting meant leaving his work in Bangkok to return home to protect his family. 'I didn't have the heart to continue with my work when I heard the news. I wanted to come back as soon as possible but I had to wait until the evening,' he said. Now at a shelter in Surin housing some 6,000 evacuees, Pichayut worries for his wife and twin daughters, hoping the conflict will end soon so they can return to their home in Kap Choeng district, one of the hardest hit by shelling. Bualee Chanduang, a local vendor who moved to the same shelter Thursday with her family and pet rabbit, is counting on swift negotiations to end the violence. 'I pray for God to help that both sides can agree to talk and end this war,' she said. The UN Security Council has called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a regional bloc, to mediate peace between the two members. Human Rights Watch has condemned the reported use of cluster munitions, weapons banned by International law, in populated areas, and urged both governments to protect civilians. The 800-kilometre frontier between Thailand and Cambodia has been disputed for decades, but past confrontations have been limited and brief.
France 24
8 hours ago
- France 24
Thailand and Cambodia clash despite ceasefire hopes
04:00 27/07/2025 Taiwanese voters reject attempt to recall China-friendly lawmakers Asia / Pacific 27/07/2025 Thai-Cambodian border conflit: 200,000 thousand people displaced Asia / Pacific 27/07/2025 Thai-Cambodia border clashes continue despite Trump's ceasefire call Asia / Pacific 26/07/2025 Voters in Taiwan reject bid to oust China-friendly MPs in closely watched poll Asia / Pacific 26/07/2025 Civilians flee Thai-Cambodia border zone as death toll rises Asia / Pacific 26/07/2025 Thailand and Cambodia trade accusations as deadly border clashes enter third day Asia / Pacific 26/07/2025 India: fear of mass disenfranchisement after Bihar state rushes revision of voter rolls Asia / Pacific 26/07/2025 Taiwan holds largest ever recall vote, potentially ousting China-friendly lawmakers Asia / Pacific 26/07/2025 Taiwan votes in high-stakes recall election that might oust China-friendly party Asia / Pacific
