The US Justice Department will start handing over case documents related to disgraced financier and child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to Congress coming Friday, CNN reported on Monday, quoting the House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer.
A Response to Subpoena Pressure
“Officials with the Department of Justice have informed us that the Department will begin to provide Epstein-related records to the Oversight Committee this week on Friday,” Comer reportedly said, just days after a subpoena was issued by the committee with a deadline of August 19.
While Comer had earlier expressed doubts on whether or not the DOJ would meet the deadline, he said he expects to receive the records “very soon.”
Barr Testifies Behind Closed Doors
Meanwhile, former Attorney General Bill Barr testified in a closed-door deposition with the committee — the first of 10 high-profile figures — both from Republican and Democrat parties, who have been subpoenaed to speak on the Epstein case.
Barr, who was Attorney General at the time when Epstein died in federal custody in 2019, did not speak to the press before or after the session. During a break, Comer relayed some key points of Barr’s testimony.
“[Barr] testified that Epstein died by suicide and there was no foul play,” Comer said, while also adding that “there was a blind spot in the cameras. It seemed like there was a lot of stuff that was there to potentially aid in a suicide.”
Comer also stressed that Barr “never had conversations with President Donald Trump pertaining to a client list” and “had never seen anything that would implicate President Trump in any of this,” as reported by CNN.
Democrats Question GOP Intentions
Some Democrats on the panel have expressed skepticism over the Republicans’ motives.
“The question is if they are truly invested in doing what’s right and making sure that there’s real transparency for the American people,” CNN quoted Rep. Jasmine Crockett as saying.
Rep. Suhas Subramanyam shared similar stance, reportedly saying, “I don’t think we are learning much from the questioning from the House Republicans.”
What’s Next?
The committee has also subpoenaed nine other figures for private depositions through mid-October, including former President Bill Clinton and officials from previous administrations, including Hillary Clinton, James Comey and Robert Mueller.
According to the report, House Speaker Mike Johnson has postponed a full House vote to release the DOJ’s Epstein files until September, citing the need to give the administration more time.
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