The long wait for the “Epstein files” is over.
A House committee on Tuesday began uploading 34,000 pages of government documents on the investigation into sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, making them available to the public after months of debate over the material.
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman James Comer, Kentucky Republican, released the documents after meeting in the Capitol with half a dozen women who were victimized by Epstein’s sex trafficking. The Justice Department provided the documents under a subpoena issued by Mr. Comer this summer.
The material uploaded to the committee’s website is just some of the information the Justice Department has been withholding. An aide said department officials are sending Epstein material to the House on a rolling basis.
An initial review of the files reveals court documents and videos, including a video of police officers walking through Epstein’s Palm Beach estate. It also includes the previously sealed 2019 grand jury indictment of Epstein on sex trafficking charges and video from inside the New York City jail where Epstein was found dead of apparent suicide, also in 2019.
Thousands of pages of court documents, most previously made public, were part of the document dump. Significant redactions were made, blacking out whole or partial pages.
None of the material released so far references anyone but Epstein and a handful of his employees among those involved in the sex-trafficking scheme.
Epstein’s net worth was listed at nearly $560 million, including at least six properties and investments.
Previously unseen flight logs were disclosed in the documents. They listed luminaries including former President Bill Clinton and Microsoft founder Bill Gates among those who flew on Epstein’s private jet.
Epstein is accused in the 2019 grand jury indictment of victimizing dozens of women, including dozens of girls under age 18, whom he recruited and paid to provide massages and sex.
“Epstein incentivized his victims to become recruiters by paying these victim-recruiters hundreds of dollars for each girl that they brought to Epstein,” the indictment said. “In so doing, Epstein maintained a steady supply of new victims to exploit.”
Mr. Comer and other members of the committee met privately with the victims amid a bipartisan push to force the release of the files.
A pair of lawmakers planned to try to force a vote on a measure to compel the Justice Department to release all the documents related to its investigation 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.
Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking. Epstein committed suicide in jail in 2019 while awaiting prosecution for sex trafficking crimes.
In an extensive interview with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche earlier this summer, Maxwell 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.
The women who met with lawmakers Tuesday plan to hold a press conference Wednesday on Capitol Hill.
Mr. Comer said he also plans to interview Maxwell.
A federal judge earlier this month denied the Justice Department’s request to unseal grand jury transcripts from the sex trafficking case against Epstein, calling the move “a diversion” from the trove of files the government has in its possession and could release to the public.
Rep. Thomas Massie, Kentucky Republican, filed 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 on X.
The bill would require Attorney General Pam Bondi to release all documents and records relating to Epstein in the Justice Department’s possession.
Mr. Massie and Mr. Khanna plan to maintain pressure on lawmakers by holding the news conference Wednesday on the steps of the U.S. Capitol with Epstein victims, including people who have never shared their stories.
Mr. Comer uploaded the documents hours later and said he plans to interview additional witnesses to find out more about who victimized the women.
“We are moving as quickly as we can,” Mr. Comer said, adding that he also plans to examine bank statements for illegal activity that could help hold accountable the men who victimized the women.
“We are going to follow the money,” Mr. Comer said.
• Susan Ferrechio can be reached at sferrechio@washingtontimes.com.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.