House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer on Tuesday demanded that Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Department of Justice release all documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. Comer’s subpoena asks the Justice Department to turn over all its Epstein-related materials by August 19.
The Committee also subpoenaed Bill and Hillary Clinton, two former FBI directors, and multiple former attorneys general, seeking to compel their testimonies related to the panel’s Jeffrey Epstein probe.
The deposition dates range from Aug. 18 to Oct. 14 for the following former officials:
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: October 9
Former President Bill Clinton: October 14
Former U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland: October 2
Former FBI Director James Comey: October 7
Former U.S. Attorney General William Barr: August 18
Former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales: August 26
Former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions: August 28
Former FBI Director Robert Mueller: September 2
Former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch: September 9
Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder: September 30
As noted by Axios, Alex Acosta, who served as President Trump’s Secretary of Labor from 2017 to 2019, is absent from the list.
As the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Acosta in 2008 signed off on the widely criticized plea deal for Epstein.
The disgraced financier was eventually arrested by an FBI-NYPD Crimes Against Children Task Force on July 6, 2019 and charged with sex trafficking crimes that were alleged to have occurred from 2002 to 2005.
Acosta resigned his role as Secretary of Labor effective July 19, 2019, after a public outcry over his handling of the Epstein case.
According to an anonymous source, when Acosta was vetted for his cabinet post in 2017, he stated “I was told Epstein ‘belonged to intelligence’ and to leave it alone.”
In November 2020, the Justice Department concluded that Acosta had shown “poor judgment” on the case.
The Oversight Committee’s Epstein probe subpoenas come despite the DOJ’s conclusion last month that Epstein had no “client list” and died by suicide and despite President Trump’s efforts to shut down questions about the case.
But bipartisan interest in the Epstein case continues as new developments unfold.
During an interview with conservative podcaster Benny Johnson Tuesday morning, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna said she would be asking the former DOJ and FBI officials what they know about the recently discovered “burn bags” filled with RussiaGate and “potentially” Epstein evidence. According to a whistleblower, the materials in the burn bags were slated to be destroyed during the Biden administration.
“I’m asking them directly about who authorized this evidence to be placed in burn bags and what information do they have about the former Deputy FBI Director destroying evidence pertained to Epstein,” Luna told Johnson.
Meanwhile the Justice Department is reportedly mulling whether to release the transcripts and audio of their interview with Epstein’s accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell in Florida last month.
The administration has been transcribing and digitizing the recording of Maxwell’s interview with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, CNN reported.
Portions of the transcript that could reveal sensitive details like victim names would also have to be redacted, one of the officials said.
As of Tuesday morning, the discussions over potential publication of the transcripts and the audio were ongoing.
“A final decision has not been made,” an official told CNN.
“The Deep State is very nervous right now. Hillary and Bill Clinton will be receiving subpoenas to testify on the Epstein files,” said House Oversight member Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) in a statement posted on X, Tuesday. “I am confident that @GOPoversight will help shed light on the disgusting crimes committed against children.”