WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — The House Oversight Committee on Tuesday released more than 33,000 pages of files tied to Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier and convicted sex offender. The release follows weeks of pressure on the Trump administration and Justice Department to provide more transparency on the case.
The documents came after Chair James Comer, R-Ky., issued a subpoena to the Justice Department last month. Lawmakers described the release as the first batch in what could be a rolling process of disclosures. Many of the records were already public through court filings and earlier reports. Committee officials said 33,295 pages were made available, but only a fraction contained new information.
Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., the panel’s top Democrat, criticized the release. He said about 97% of the files had already been made public. Garcia argued the limited release was a way to distract from what he called a White House cover-up.
Several of the documents match materials reported in earlier investigations. These include video and audio from Justice Department interviews with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate, who was convicted of sex trafficking. Other files cover footage from Epstein’s West Palm Beach home, video from the jail where he died in 2019, and police audio from Palm Beach’s initial investigation.
The files also feature transcripts of hearings in Epstein’s criminal case and pages from a Justice Department probe into his 2008 non-prosecution agreement. That deal, arranged by then-U.S. Attorney Alex Acosta in Florida, shielded Epstein from federal charges. Acosta later served as labor secretary under President Donald Trump. He is set to testify voluntarily before the Oversight Committee this month.
Democrats said the disclosure raised more questions than answers. Garcia said the Justice Department’s actions showed it was “not interested in justice for the victims or the truth.” He also accused Maxwell of trying to secure a pardon from Trump, making her testimony unreliable.
Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said Tuesday’s release was “a distraction of a document dump.” He argued the small portion of new files underscored the need for full transparency.
Khanna has teamed up with Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., on a bipartisan effort to force the Justice Department to release all Epstein-related documents. The lawmakers filed a discharge petition to push their bill to the House floor despite resistance from Republican leadership.
Some Republicans have also pushed for faster action. One GOP lawmaker, a co-sponsor of the Massie-Khanna bill, said they warned both Comer and the White House that more delays could force them to back the bipartisan effort. “Don’t put me in a corner,” the member told NBC News.
Republican leaders have been working behind the scenes to stop the discharge petition. A leadership source said they plan to introduce a resolution showing support for the Oversight Committee’s probe in an attempt to maintain control of the process.
The Trump administration has faced bipartisan criticism for refusing to release all Epstein files. During his campaign, Trump promised more transparency in government. But the decision to withhold documents has drawn outrage from both supporters and opponents.
The White House has said the Justice Department is complying with the subpoena by providing documents on a rolling basis. A committee spokesperson defended the move, saying the release met the panel’s demands.
Survivors of Epstein’s abuse and their advocates continue to demand the full release of government files. Many argue that the public deserves to know how Epstein evaded justice for so long and whether powerful figures helped protect him.
With the Oversight Committee preparing more hearings, the pressure is likely to grow. Acosta’s testimony later this month could renew debate about the 2008 deal and the role of senior officials in shaping Epstein’s fate.
For now, lawmakers remain divided. Democrats say the Justice Department’s latest move falls far short of transparency. Republicans face mounting pressure to back a bipartisan push that could override their own leadership.
The release of the first batch of Epstein files has raised more questions than it answered. With only 3% of the documents considered new, the demand for full disclosure is unlikely to fade anytime soon.
