Democrats Launch Full-Court Push to Force DOJ to Release Jeffrey Epstein Files

Democratic lawmakers celebrated a major legislative win this week when Congress passed a law requiring the Justice Department to release its unclassified files on Jeffrey Epstein within 30 days of enactment. But the celebration has been tempered by concern that the administration may try to delay, narrow or withhold records — and House Democrats are preparing a prolonged campaign of oversight and legal pressure to make sure the documents are produced in full.

House Democrats say they will use every available tool — letters, additional subpoenas, public hearings, lawsuits and possible contempt votes — to keep the spotlight on the issue and to push for full compliance with both the new statute and an earlier Oversight Committee subpoena.

“It will definitely be a fight every day for a long time until we get all the materials released,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the senior Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee.

Officials push back, lawmakers push forward

Attorney General Pam Bondi has said the Justice Department will “follow the law.” But Democrats say they are worried the department could use a newly opened inquiry — which Bondi has said was prompted by purported "new information" since the case was considered closed — as a pretext to withhold or delay the broader release.

“We should pursue all options because these people are not going to comply with the law,” said Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.). “They don’t give a shit about the survivors. And they don’t care about the fact that Congress overwhelmingly — almost unanimously in both chambers — passed the bill that says you’ve got to release this stuff.”

Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), the senior Democrat on the Oversight Committee, stressed in a letter that a new probe should not negate the committee’s subpoena. While the new law allows for narrow carve-outs to protect certain sensitive information, Garcia argued that the Oversight panel is entitled to receive the full set of unclassified files without blanket redactions.

What lawmakers expect to find

Investigators say the Justice Department has, so far, produced only a fraction of the documents they expect. Lawmakers and committee staff are still seeking law enforcement interview notes, financial records, photos and videos, the prosecution memo and materials compiled when the department first contemplated charges against Epstein in the mid-2000s.

Having an incomplete record hampers congressional inquiries into related matters and limits lawmakers’ ability to question witnesses. A committee source said documents would be especially useful when witnesses such as Ghislaine Maxwell appear before investigators.

“By not having the actual files from the DOJ, it really slows down our ability to also ask the right questions,” the source said. “It’d be much more helpful to us if we had the actual documents that we can corroborate or ask questions from, versus just trying to take her at her word.”

Strategy and risks

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), the bill’s lead sponsor, warned that getting the president to sign the measure was only the first step. Democrats say they plan to keep up political and legal pressure to ensure the administration follows through — even as they weigh the risks of litigation before a conservative-leaning Supreme Court.

“We use the courts however we can, and we win overwhelmingly up until we get to the Roberts Court,” Raskin said. “So that, in itself, is a minefield at the end.”

Still, Democrats were encouraged by the bipartisan support the bill received and said a contempt resolution — backed by votes across the aisle — could be a viable tool if the department withholds material.

Lawmakers also plan to broaden their probe into Epstein’s finances by subpoenaing records from banks and other financial institutions that did business with the financier.

The role of survivors and public pressure

Democrats credit the survivors and accusers — roughly a dozen women who spoke publicly and held events on Capitol Hill — with shifting momentum and persuading reluctant lawmakers to support the legislation. Members said those survivors will remain central to efforts to keep public attention on the release and to apply political pressure.

“Right now the critical factor has been popular movement and organizing,” Raskin said. “These victim-survivors have been an extraordinarily powerful force, and we are going to keep the political pressure on constantly.”

Outlook

With competing legal claims and a newly opened DOJ inquiry in play, the path to full disclosure is uncertain. Democrats say they are prepared for a long fight: pursuing oversight in committee, building public pressure, expanding financial subpoenas and, if necessary, filing suits or pursuing contempt votes to force the release of records they say are vital to understanding Epstein’s crimes and any associated networks.

Note: Quotes in this article are attributed to the members of Congress cited.