A US congressional panel has released a trove of documents related to the federal investigation into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The House of Representatives Oversight Committee published 33,295 pages, including flight logs, jail surveillance video, court filings, audio recordings and emails.
However, both Republicans and Democrats expressed disappointment, stating that the files offered little in terms of new insights and questioning whether the Justice Department is concealing additional Epstein records.
Pressure has increased from supporters of President Donald Trump for more clarity on the investigation following the Justice Department's statement in July indicating there was no incriminating list of Epstein's clients.
Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, a Republican, ordered the publication of these documents online and acknowledged that there was minimal fresh information.
He reiterated, As far as I can see, there's nothing new in the documents, he told NBC News.
The videos released include 13 hours and 41 seconds of footage from Epstein's New York jail cell during the night before his death on August 10, 2019. This additional footage does not, however, account for the so-called missing minute of video, an anomaly between 23:00 and 00:00 that has contributed to speculation regarding Epstein's death.
Attorney General Pam Bondi has suggested the missing footage was simply a reset in the jail’s camera system, but this explanation has not quelled conspiracy theories.
The released documents also feature interviews from 2006 with people identifying as Epstein’s victims, discussing alleged abuse during massages. Additionally, there is police bodycam footage from a search of Epstein’s Palm Beach residence and documents dating back to a criminal investigation initiated by Palm Beach police two decades ago.
Notably, Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, claimed that 97% of the documents from the Department of Justice were already public, asserting, There is no mention of any client list or anything that improves transparency or justice for victims.
Democratic Congresswoman Summer Lee highlighted that the only new information was flight logs detailing Epstein's travels to his private island in the US Virgin Islands.
The disclosure followed a bipartisan effort led by backbench Republican Thomas Massie to compel the Justice Department to make all its Epstein files public within a month.
House Speaker Mike Johnson and members of the oversight committee met privately with six Epstein victims, with Johnson remarking on the emotional weight of the meeting, saying, there were tears in the room.
Lawmakers and Epstein's victims plan to hold a press conference on Capitol Hill to discuss their findings and next steps.
