The House Oversight Committee issued a subpoena to the estate of Jeffrey Epstein for documents and communications on Monday, the latest salvo in Republicans’ ongoing quest to satisfy a vocal contingent of their supporters who are demanding more information from the disgraced financier’s case be made public.
“The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is reviewing the possible mismanagement of the federal government’s investigation of Mr. Jeffrey Epstein and Ms. Ghislaine Maxwell, the circumstances and subsequent investigations of Mr. Epstein’s death, the operation of sex-trafficking rings and ways for the federal government to effectively combat them, and potential violations of ethics rules related to elected officials,” Oversight Chair James Comer, a Republican, wrote in a statement.
“It is our understanding that the Estate of Jeffrey Epstein is in custody and control of documents that may further the Committee’s investigation and legislative goals,” Comer continued. “Further, it is our understanding the Estate is ready and willing to provide these documents to the Committee pursuant to a subpoena.”
The subpoena gave a Sep. 8 deadline for the Epstein estate to turn over any relevant documents — including a “client list,” will, financial documents, calendars, CCTV video from his properties and a copy of the “leather-bound book” given to Epstein on his 50th birthday that reportedly includes entries from a number of prominent individuals, including President Donald Trump.
Comer’s subpoena comes a week before Congress is due back in Washington, where it will consider a measure that would force the Department of Justice to release Epstein-related documents.
Earlier this month, the Oversight Committee chair issued a subpoena to the Department of Justice for Epstein-related records, the first batch of which were delivered Friday. Comer claimed that the panel is now looking through “thousands of pages of documents.”
Republican lawmakers have also spent their August recess fielding questions about the status of the Epstein investigation after newly reported details about Trump’s alleged ties to the disgraced financier were made public this summer. This latest step demonstrates that top House Republicans remain interested in pursuing new details in the Epstein case.
In addition to the subpoena, the Oversight panel announced that former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida and former Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta — who has been accused of offering Epstein a “sweetheart” deal in 2007 — will appear for a voluntary transcribed interview on Sept. 19.
Comer will also accept formal written declarations from former Attorneys General Alberto Gonzales, Eric Holder and Jeff Sessions “under penalty of prosecution for false statements stating they possess no information about the Epstein or Maxwell cases.”