The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform plans to release some files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to the public after receiving the material from the Department of Justice on Friday.
The panel is expected to start receiving materials it subpoenaed related to Epstein on Friday. The group will redact sensitive information, including victimsâ identities, before it is released, a committee spokesperson confirmed to CNN.
âThe Committee intends to make the records public after thorough review to ensure all victimsâ identification and child sexual abuse material are redacted. The Committee will also consult with the DOJ to ensure any documents released do not negatively impact ongoing criminal cases and investigations,â the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said the committee would work with the Justice Department on the release, but declined to say when it could be expected.
News that the Department of Justice would start providing records related to Epstein to Congress was first shared on Monday by the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, Rep. James Comer. The disclosures to Congress come after the Justice Department concluded in July that no further disclosures about Epstein were warranted.
Epstein, a wealthy and well-connected financier, died by suicide in a New York City jail cell in 2019, the memo said. Meanwhile, years of conspiracy theories have claimed that he kept a secret list of famous and powerful people to whom he trafficked underage girls for sex. There has also been speculation that he was assassinated in prison to prevent him from sharing any information about their crimes.
The memoâs conclusion left members of Trumpâs MAGA base who expected bombshell revelations infuriated, prompting some Republicans to call for greater transparency surrounding the case.
Despite the interest in the files, House Speaker Mike Johnson delayed a vote of the full House to decide whether or not to release the files until September, claiming the administration needs âspaceâ to vet the files.
Rules Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx told reporters on Tuesday that the issue might be âresolvedâ before it would even come to a vote in Washington, D.C., next month.
âChairman Comer has mentioned that heâs getting the material that heâs asked for from the Department of Justice. Iâd really like to see this resolved, if possible, before we get back, as much information as possible to come out,â Foxx said.
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