Latest news with #subpoena
Washington Post
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
GOP House committee chair yet to issue a subpoena for Epstein files
A week after a House Oversight subcommittee voted to subpoena the Justice Department for records related to Jeffrey Epstein, the chairman of the full committee still hasn't issued the order. The delay stands in stark contrast to the subpoena Rep. James Comer (R-Kentucky) — the House Oversight chairman — issued and signed within 24 hours of a similar subcommittee vote that compelled Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell to testify before Congress. And it raises questions about Republicans' willingness to hold the Trump administration accountable for its failure to release the Epstein files in the face of significant backlash from the president's GOP base.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
House Democrat vows to subpoena Epstein ‘birthday book' which attorney claims is held by his estate
California Representative Ro Khanna has vowed to subpoena Jeffrey Epstein's 'birthday book' after a 'bombshell revelation' of its whereabouts. The Wall Street Journal reported last week that the book contains a 'bawdy' letter and drawing scrawled by Donald Trump for Epstein's 50th birthday, though its location had been unclear. In response to the report, the president filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and its owners, including Rupert Murdoch. Just before Khanna, a Democrat, appeared on MSNBC's The Last Word on Wednesday evening, attorney Bradley Edwards, who represented over 200 Epstein victims, claimed that the book is in the possession of the sex offender's estate. Edwards claimed that 'multiple' victims of Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell knew of the birthday book, and said its existence 'is an absolute fact.' The attorney said the executors of Epstein's estate, whom he claims to know personally, would likely comply if Congress issued a subpoena for the documents. 'That was a bombshell revelation by Bradley Edwards,' Khanna told host Lawrence O'Donnell. 'It is a revelation to me that he said that the birthday book is with private lawyers in the Epstein estate.' 'I think we can easily move forward on this subpoena of this birthday book, which could really advance this case,' he added. The lawmaker added that the guidance is helpful for the committee because 'we can't trust the Trump Justice Department' to cooperate in releasing the files. Earlier Wednesday, a House Oversight subcommittee voted 8-2 to subpoena the DOJ for files related to Epstein as pressure mounted this week, leading to Speaker Mike Johnson calling a summer recess. GOP Representatives Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Brian Jack of Georgia, and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania defied party lines to vote with the Democrats. 'That's a hard thing to do,' Khanna said of the decision. 'What's not hard to do is subpoena private attorneys and a private estate and to get compliance.' Khanna said he hopes the subpoena will help determine the veracity of the Journal's reporting and reveal whether there are additional letters or correspondence between Trump and Epstein. The congressman, who said he also plans to invite Edwards to meet with the House committee, added it may also shine a light on whether hundreds of other people who have been implicated in sex trafficking are in the book. The Journal's report last week shed light on the relationship between Trump and Epstein, whose death and ties to the president remain at the center of a growing feud between his allies and right-wing figures demanding more transparency in the case. The letter allegedly bears Trump's name and contains several lines of typewritten text framed by a drawing of a naked woman. It is reportedly punctuated by the president's signature as a squiggly 'Donald' below her waist, mimicking pubic hair. 'Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret,' the letter is reported to conclude. Trump denies his involvement in the letter and drawing. The push to subpoena the birthday book comes ahead of a senior Justice Department official's expected meeting with Maxwell on Thursday in Tallahassee, Florida, sources told ABC News. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche teed up the Maxwell visit earlier this week, stating a meeting would occur 'in the coming days' to obtain additional information concerning the case.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ghislaine Maxwell could dodge congressional subpoena for her testimony in Epstein investigation, lawyer says
Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell is unsure whether she will comply with a recent congressional subpoena to testify about his abuse of girls and whether others were involved, amid continued pressure for the government to disclose more about the case. 'We have to make a decision about whether she will do that or not,' her attorney David Oscar Markus told Politico. 'That's been scheduled for the week of August 11th and we haven't gotten back to them on whether we'll do that.' Maxwell could invoke the Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination to avoid testifying, while Congress could offer the former British socialite immunity. Maxwell is currently in a Florida federal prison serving a 20-year sentence for conspiring with Epstein to sexually abuse minors, which she has sought to overturn in the Supreme Court. Her lawyer said, Maxwell is hoping Donald Trump pardons her. A bipartisan group on the House Oversight Committee voted Tuesday to subpoena Maxwell amid renewed interest into the Epstein scandal. Maxwell sat with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in recent days for an in-depth interview in Florida. The interview featured Maxwell answering questions about '100 different people,' her lawyer said. DOJ officials spoke to her as fallout from the president's handling of releasing information in the Epstein case continues to mount. Democrats have criticized Maxwell's conversations with the DOJ, arguing they are a conflict of interest given the political pressure the Trump administration is facing to disclose more about the Epstein case and Trump's personal relationship with the disgraced investor. 'Under no circumstances should anyone from Trump's DOJ be allowed to privately interview Ghislaine Maxwell,' Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote on X of the interview. 'The conflict of interest is glaring. It stinks of high corruption.' The battle over Epstein info has played out beyond just Congress, which House Speaker Mike Johnson broke early for an August recess as legislators pressured the administration to disclose the full Epstein files. Last week, President Trump filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against right-wing media mogul Rupert Murdoch and The Wall Street Journal's parent companies News Corp and Dow Jones, after the paper reported that Trump sent a 'bawdy' birthday letter to Epstein. The president has denied the letter is valid. The Epstein saga has created a rare wedge between Trump and members of his base and party. Trump and his allies campaigned on releasing more information about Epstein, and initially, the White House made steps toward fulfilling that promise, releasing what it called 'Phase 1' of the Epstein files to a group of conservative commentators and online personalities in February. However, most of it was redacted or already disclosed. Earlier this month, the Department of Justice announced there was no 'Epstein client list' despite speculation, and that no more disclosures would be made about the case, infuriating parts of the MAGA base. The president has chastised his own supporters for their intrigue over Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial, calling the scandal a Democrat-led 'scam' and 'con job.' The president, who has previously denied being mentioned in the Epstein files, was in fact told by the Justice Department he was one of numerous high-profile figures mentioned in the course of investigations into Epstein, the Wall Street Journal has reported.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
GOP Rep. Massie wants more from Epstein estate than his reported ‘birthday book'
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie said Sunday he stands with Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna's calls to subpoena Jeffrey Epstein's estate for documents related to his case, including, as reported by the Wall Street Journal, a birthday letter to Epstein allegedly written by President Donald Trump in 2003. "Well, I think we should get a lot more than just the book. Let's get the financial records of the estate. Where is it -- follow the money, as they say up here," Massie told ABC News' "This Week" co-anchor Jonathan Karl. "We should look at the plea bargain. Open that up. See what was the deal? What was the deal that was cut? I think there's a lot more than just that letter." The Wall Street Journal reported on a birthday message Trump allegedly wrote in a book of messages for Epstein's 50th birthday -- the president denies it exists and has sued the Journal for defamation over the report. ABC News has not been able to confirm the existence of the letter. Massie and Khanna's joint legislation would force a House vote on the release of the Epstein files. However, Speaker Mike Johnson sent the House on an August recess a day early, effectively skirting the vote. Massie and Khanna are now seeking a discharge petition, which with 218 votes from House members, would bypass Johnson. Massie said: "It would force a full release of the files. It has the force of law. It's not a subpoena. It's not a 'Pretty please, would you release the files?' It's the force of law and, it's got protections to redact victims' names and to prevent, you know, release of child pornography." Khanna added the Democratic interest in this case is not new, despite claims that the party has latched on to the case as it causes infighting among some of Trump's MAGA base. "We have been pushing for transparency during the Biden administration, both in 2021 and 2024 the court ordered release of documents, but Donald Trump raised the stakes and he did it in a way in the campaign that was justified. He said, 'Look, when I get there, I'm going to release the files,'" Khanna said. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
The Independent
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Ghislaine Maxwell's could dodge congressional subpoena for her testimony in Epstein investigation, lawyer says
Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell is unsure whether she will comply with a recent congressional subpoena to testify about his abuse of girls and whether others were involved, amid continued pressure for the government to disclose more about the case. 'We have to make a decision about whether she will do that or not,' her attorney David Oscar Markus told Politico. 'That's been scheduled for the week of August 11th and we haven't gotten back to them on whether we'll do that.' Maxwell could invoke the Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination to avoid testifying, while Congress could offer the former British socialite immunity. Maxwell is currently in a Florida federal prison serving a 20-year sentence for conspiring with Epstein to sexually abuse minors, which she has sought to overturn in the Supreme Court. Her lawyer said, Maxwell is hoping Donald Trump pardons her. A bipartisan group on the House Oversight Committee voted Tuesday to subpoena Maxwell amid renewed interest into the Epstein scandal. Maxwell sat with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in recent days for an in-depth interview in Florida. The interview featured Maxwell answering questions about ' 100 different people,' her lawyer said. DOJ officials spoke to her as fallout from the president's handling of releasing information in the Epstein case continues to mount. Democrats have criticized Maxwell's conversations with the DOJ, arguing they are a conflict of interest given the political pressure the Trump administration is facing to disclose more about the Epstein case and Trump's personal relationship with the disgraced investor. 'Under no circumstances should anyone from Trump's DOJ be allowed to privately interview Ghislaine Maxwell,' Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote on X of the interview. 'The conflict of interest is glaring. It stinks of high corruption.' The battle over Epstein info has played out beyond just Congress, which House Speaker Mike Johnson broke early for an August recess as legislators pressured the administration to disclose the full Epstein files. Last week, President Trump filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against right-wing media mogul Rupert Murdoch and The Wall Street Journal 's parent companies News Corp and Dow Jones, after the paper reported that Trump sent a 'bawdy' birthday letter to Epstein. The president has denied the letter is valid. The Epstein saga has created a rare wedge between Trump and members of his base and party. Trump and his allies campaigned on releasing more information about Epstein, and initially, the White House made steps toward fulfilling that promise, releasing what it called ' Phase 1 ' of the Epstein files to a group of conservative commentators and online personalities in February. However, most of it was redacted or already disclosed. Earlier this month, the Department of Justice announced there was no 'Epstein client list' despite speculation, and that no more disclosures would be made about the case, infuriating parts of the MAGA base. The president has chastised his own supporters for their intrigue over Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial, calling the scandal a Democrat-led 'scam' and 'con job.' The president, who has previously denied being mentioned in the Epstein files, was in fact told by the Justice Department he was one of numerous high-profile figures mentioned in the course of investigations into Epstein, the Wall Street Journal has reported.
