(NewsNation) — Democrats pressed for a Wednesday vote that would require the Justice Department to release all government files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The House Oversight Committee on Tuesday released more than 33,000 pages of documents, including flight logs, court filings and emails. However, lawmakers from both parties have argued most of the information was already public.
Committee ranking member Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., said Democrats found that “97% of the documents” had been previously available.
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., has filed a petition for a vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a bipartisan bill he co-authored with Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif.
The measure would compel the Department of Justice to release all Epstein-related records within 30 days. So far, 134 lawmakers — 130 Democrats and four Republicans — have signed on. GOP supporters include Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga.; Nancy Mace, R-S.C.; and Lauren Boebert, R-Colo.
Massie introduced the bill in July, warning that if the House failed to consider it within seven legislative days, he’d move forward with a discharge petition.
Massie and Khanna, alongside Epstein accusers, are scheduled to hold a news conference Wednesday, calling for the full release of the files.
Attorney General Pam Bondi has previously said the Trump administration reviewed Epstein-related evidence and concluded the disgraced financier died by suicide and did not leave behind a “client list.” Bondi suggested in February that list was on her desk, although she later clarified that she was referring to the overall case file.
Nonetheless, the DOJ’s handling of the Epstein federal investigation has resulted in bipartisan criticism.
Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein‘s longtime associate and former girlfriend, is currently serving a 20-year sentence for helping him sexually exploit and abuse underage girls. Epstein was found dead in his jail cell in 2019. He was awaiting trial for allegedly orchestrating a child sex trafficking ring along with Maxwell.
