Democrats say 97% of Epstein files released were already public

WASHINGTON

Democrats on the US House Oversight Committee said Tuesday that nearly all documents concerning disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein released by the Justice Department were already public while calling on Attorney General Pam Bondi to comply with a subpoena immediately and release all of the documents.

In a statement, they said their initial review of the 33,295 pages found that 97% had been already released by federal, state or local authorities.

“The 33,000 pages of Epstein documents (House Oversight Committee Chairman) James Comer has decided to ‘release’ were already mostly public information. To the American people – don’t let this fool you,” they said.

"There is no mention of any client list or anything that improves transparency or justice for victims," the lawmakers added.

Democrats said the release failed to meet the Justice Department’s legal obligation to provide full, unredacted files while protecting victims and censoring child sexual abuse materials.

The release came amid ongoing bipartisan efforts in Congress to secure the full disclosure of Epstein files.

Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, said his push “still has support from members of both parties,” according to CBS News.

"Somebody needs to show us what’s new in those documents," he added.

Massie and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California have introduced legislation requiring the Justice Department to release its Epstein records within 30 days. Massie also filed a discharge petition Tuesday to force a House vote.

Epstein was found dead in his New York City jail cell while awaiting trial in 2019. He pleaded guilty in 2008 to procuring a minor for prostitution.

Authorities determined that Epstein died by suicide, a finding corroborated by the Justice Department in July, when it said he was not killed.

That finding, along with the Justice Department's public determination that Epstein did not have a list of wealthy clients for whom he trafficked underage girls, sparked an uproar among Trump's Make America Great Again, or MAGA, supporters who have long maintained he was killed as part of a government cover-up to shield Epstein's wealthy and influential inner circle.