Ten victims of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking ring will meet Tuesday with a top House Republican as the GOP grapples with a looming vote to force the release of the federal government’s Epstein files.
The Republican, House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer, will speak to the 10 women privately in the Capitol, an aide told The Washington Times.
The Kentucky congressman will meet with the victims inside the Capitol amid plans by rank-and-file lawmakers to force a vote on a measure to compel the Justice Department to release all documents related to their probe of Epstein and his accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell.
Democrats believe the Justice Department is concealing the files to protect possible wrongdoing by President Trump, who was an Epstein pal in the 1990s before booting him from Mar-a-Lago. Republicans say the government may be covering up the involvement of wealthy and powerful men.
Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking. Police said Epstein committed suicide in jail in 2019 while awaiting prosecution for sex trafficking crimes.
Maxwell, in an extensive interview with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche this summer, said she “never witnessed the president in any inappropriate setting in any way” and that Mr. Trump “was a gentleman in all respects.”
Victims balked at the Justice Department decision to work with Maxwell, who is seeking to have her conviction thrown out and is also vying for Mr. Trump to award her clemency. They warned that releasing the files could jeopardize their privacy.
A federal judge in August denied the Justice Department’s request to unseal grand jury transcripts from the sex trafficking case against Epstein.
The House returned from a summer recess Tuesday to a looming vote on the Epstein files.
Rep. Thomas Massie, Kentucky Republican, plans to file a measure Tuesday that would force the release of the files. It’s co-sponsored with Rep. Ro Khanna, California Democrat.
“At that point, we can begin collecting the 218 signatures necessary to force a vote on binding legislation to release the Epstein files,” Mr. Massie said Tuesday on X.
The bill would require Attorney General Pam Bondi to release all documents and records in possession of the DOJ relating to Epstein.
Mr. Massie and Mr. Khanna plan to pressure lawmakers by holding a news conference on Wednesday on the steps of the U.S. Capitol with Epstein victims, including people who have never shared their stories.
• Susan Ferrechio can be reached at sferrechio@washingtontimes.com.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.