Home · Politics · Oct 26 archive
House Democrats Call for Special Counsel in Epstein Case
Confirmed
In Short: House Judiciary Committee Democrats are calling for an independent special counsel to investigate President Trump's alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
House Judiciary Committee Democrats are calling for an independent special counsel to investigate evidence of President Donald Trump's alleged criminal ties to Jeffrey Epstein, according to a report made public Monday. The report, which comes on the brink of the midterm elections, highlights evidence involving 11 women who claim Trump and Paolo Zampolli may have been co-conspirators in Epstein's abuse of young women in the 1990s.
The report, based on interviews with survivors, FBI records, and documents released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, traces similarities in the stories of women abused by Epstein and Trump. Five women have directly accused Trump of rape or sexual assault in Epstein’s company or presence, while others have indicated that Epstein or Maxwell attempted to traffic them to Trump.
In a statement, the committee argues that the Justice Department and FBI have failed to investigate Epstein’s possible accomplices, despite testimony from survivors and evidence that suggests Trump's involvement. The report concludes that there is sufficient evidence to launch a criminal investigation and calls for the appointment of an independent special counsel to ensure state and foreign prosecutors receive full support from DOJ and FBI.
Democrats argue that the Trump administration has engaged in a 'shameful, bureaucratic, and political cover-up' and that the DOJ and FBI have 'abdicated their law enforcement duties and prosecutorial ethics.' The committee claims that the administration has shut down investigations, withheld evidence, and prevented Ghislaine Maxwell from discussing a survivor whose account implicated Trump.
The report also highlights the department's failure to fully redact the names and identifying information of victims while overly redacting information that could identify potential co-conspirators or enablers of Epstein's abuse. Democrats hope to press Attorney General Merrick Garland directly on the department's compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act during a high-profile hearing.
White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis dismissed the report as a 'desperate attempt by crazed Democrats to distract Americans from the surging Republican momentum driven by President Trump’s historic achievements.' She stated that none of the allegations are true and that the report is nothing more than a political maneuver.
Rep. Ro Khanna, a main backer of the Epstein law, noted that some of the documents they viewed behind closed doors remained redacted, even though they were supposed to see unredacted versions. Rep. Thomas Massie said there are 'a whole host of questions' for Attorney General Garland about the process that produced such flawed results.
Democrats argue that the purpose of the conspiracy was to 'procure females under the age of 18' to travel to an Epstein-owned property in Palm Beach, Florida, so he could 'engage in lewd conduct with those minor females' to satisfy his 'prurient interests.'
What this adds
The report adds to ongoing debates about the transparency and thoroughness of the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein case.
Background
The House Democratic Caucus is a congressional caucus composed of all Democratic representatives in the United States House of Representatives, voting and non-voting, and is responsible for nominating and electing the Democratic Party leadership in the chamber.
What's confirmed
- House Judiciary Committee Democrats are calling for an independent special counsel to investigate evidence of President Donald Trump's alleged criminal ties to Jeffrey Epstein, according to a report made public Monday. The report, which comes on the brink of the midterm elections, highlights evidence involving 11 women who claim Trump and Paolo Zampolli may have been co-conspirators in Epstein's abuse of young women in the 1990s.
- The report, based on interviews with survivors, FBI records, and documents released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, traces similarities in the stories of women abused by Epstein and Trump. Five women have directly accused Trump of rape or sexual assault in Epstein’s company or presence, while others have indicated that Epstein or Maxwell attempted to traffic them to Trump.
- In a statement, the committee argues that the Justice Department and FBI have failed to investigate Epstein’s possible accomplices, despite testimony from survivors and evidence that suggests Trump's involvement. The report concludes that there is sufficient evidence to launch a criminal investigation and calls for the appointment of an independent special counsel to ensure state and foreign prosecutors receive full support from DOJ and FBI.
- Democrats argue that the Trump administration has engaged in a 'shameful, bureaucratic, and political cover-up' and that the DOJ and FBI have 'abdicated their law enforcement duties and prosecutorial ethics.' The committee claims that the administration has shut down investigations, withheld evidence, and prevented Ghislaine Maxwell from discussing a survivor whose account implicated Trump.
- The report also highlights the department's failure to fully redact the names and identifying information of victims while overly redacting information that could identify potential co-conspirators or enablers of Epstein's abuse. Democrats hope to press Attorney General Merrick Garland directly on the department's compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act during a high-profile hearing.
- White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis dismissed the report as a 'desperate attempt by crazed Democrats to distract Americans from the surging Republican momentum driven by President Trump’s historic achievements.' She stated that none of the allegations are true and that the report is nothing more than a political maneuver.
- Rep. Ro Khanna, a main backer of the Epstein law, noted that some of the documents they viewed behind closed doors remained redacted, even though they were supposed to see unredacted versions. Rep. Thomas Massie said there are 'a whole host of questions' for Attorney General Garland about the process that produced such flawed results.
What's still developing
- “I’ve known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy,” Trump told New York magazine in 2002, before there were any public allegations of wrongdoing by the financier.
- “I was not a fan,” he told reporters at a July 2019 news conference.
- “The President kicked Jeffrey Epstein out of his club at Mar-a-Lago because he was a creep.” The report comes on the brink of the midterm elections, when Democrats are hoping to seize control of Congress as the president’s approval rating tanks over the economy, affordability and the war with Iran.
- Evidence involving 11 women tells a completely different and far more damning story about their relationship and the abuse of young women and girls that took place in their network.
- 2141 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C.
- "Make no mistake: this is an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement," Omar said in a statement.
- "I will not be silenced." A goal of the federal investigation targeting Omar is removing her U.S.
- “If you notice, they don’t put her out in front anymore, they put [Deputy Attorney General] Todd Blanche out in front, because she’s been all over the map, she has no credibility on this,” Massie said during an interview on CNN.
- Lawmakers, in passing the bill, hoped to shed light on Epstein’s network and any figures connected to the sexual exploitation of girls.
- “This is just a big cover-up,” Ross, a House Judiciary member, said in an interview.