The House Oversight Committee on Tuesday released more than 33,000 pages of documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender whose death in 2019 left lingering questions about his network of associates and the government's handling of his case.
The release followed months of pressure from lawmakers demanding greater transparency and came after the Justice Department turned over "thousands of pages" of material in August under subpoena. But both Republicans and Democrats acknowledged that most of the newly published records had already been made public through earlier court filings and investigations.
Chairman James Comer (R., Ky.) said the committee had fulfilled its obligation by posting the material, while critics argued the move was an attempt to undercut efforts to force a broader disclosure. Rep. Thomas Massie (R., Ky.), who filed a discharge petition Tuesday to compel the release of all files, said the committee's action fell short. "My staff has done a quick look at it, and it looks like a bunch of redacted documents and nothing new, so it's not going to suffice," he told Axios.
The records include years-old court filings involving Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell, bodycam footage from police searches, and transcripts of interviews. One recording showed an Epstein employee telling investigators that "there were a lot of girls that were very, very young" visiting his Florida home, though he said he could not confirm whether they were minors.
Democrats on the panel were quick to dismiss the release as political theater. "The 33,000 pages of Epstein documents James Comer has decided to 'release' were already mostly public information. To the American people - don't let this fool you," Rep. Robert Garcia (D., Calif.), the committee's top Democrat, said in a statement. Rep. Maxwell Frost (D., Fla.) added that "there's really no [Epstein] investigation on the Oversight Committee."
Still, the documents' publication complicates Massie's push for signatures on his petition, which requires 218 members to force a floor vote. Rep. Tim Burchett (R., Tenn.) said the petition was no longer necessary: "The point is moot." Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) echoed that view, calling the release "superfluous" and saying "we're achieving the desired end here."
Not all Republicans agreed. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R., Ga.) said she would sign Massie's petition regardless. "I'm for every form of releasing information. Transparency all the way," she told Axios.
The debate comes against the backdrop of widespread public skepticism. A Reuters/Ipsos poll from July found that most Americans, including a majority of Republicans, believe the government is concealing details about Epstein's activities. Epstein was accused of abusing hundreds of underage girls over decades, and his social circle included prominent political and business leaders.
The committee has scheduled depositions with Bill and Hillary Clinton, former FBI Director James Comey, and former U.S. Attorney Alex Acosta, who brokered Epstein's controversial 2008 plea deal. Comer also subpoenaed Epstein's estate last week for additional records, including a "birthday book" reportedly compiled by Maxwell. That request carries a Sept. 8 deadline.
