House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) is demanding that the estate of deceased sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein provide Congress with unredacted versions of his financial records and personal logs, intensifying a high-profile investigation into Epstein’s network and associates.
In a letter sent this week to an attorney for the managers of Epstein’s estate, Comer requested unredacted copies of cash ledgers, message logs, flight manifests, and calendars linked to Epstein. Committee staff have previously reviewed redacted versions of the documents, but Comer argued that blacked-out entries limit the committee’s ability to conduct a thorough inquiry.
“While the Committee appreciates the ability to review these documents in camera, it is necessary for the Estate to produce full, unredacted copies,” Comer wrote.
Comer emphasized that the Oversight Committee would not release sensitive information recklessly. Names of victims and any material involving child sexual abuse would be removed prior to publication. “The Committee will work with the Estate—in accordance with H. Res. 668—to ensure identifying information of any survivors is properly redacted prior to release,” he said.
The demand marks one of several new actions Comer announced Tuesday as part of the committee’s Epstein probe.
Committee Activity
The panel has steadily escalated its investigation in recent months. In August, it issued a subpoena to Epstein’s estate for communications and documents. Earlier this month, the estate delivered a set of materials, including Epstein’s last will and testament, contact books dating back to 1990, and the non-prosecution agreement he reached with Florida authorities in 2007.
The tranche also contained a controversial “birthday book” assembled by Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate, for his 50th birthday.
Additional pages from Maxwell’s book and a previously disclosed address book were made public Tuesday afternoon in the committee’s latest document release.
Testimony from Former Officials
As part of the probe, the committee has taken testimony from former Justice Department leaders. Last month, it released the full transcript of former Attorney General Bill Barr’s interview, in which Barr said he saw no evidence that Trump engaged in criminal conduct tied to Epstein.
Former attorneys general Alberto Gonzales and Jeff Sessions submitted sworn statements attesting they had no relevant knowledge of Epstein matters, a step Comer allowed in place of in-person testimony.
Comer also provided Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) with a progress update, outlining the committee’s work since the investigation formally launched earlier this year.
Background on Epstein
Epstein, a wealthy financier with powerful social ties, died in August 2019 in a Manhattan jail while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. His death was officially ruled a suicide, though questions linger to this day. He had previously avoided federal prosecution through a controversial plea deal in Florida more than a decade earlier.
Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime confidante, is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking crimes connected to Epstein’s network. In July, she sat for an interview with the Justice Department in which she spoke favorably about President Donald Trump while signaling her interest in a pardon. Comer’s office has reportedly engaged in discussions with Maxwell’s representatives about potential testimony before the Oversight Committee.
Trump and Epstein were friendly for more than a decade beginning in the 1990s, though their relationship fractured before Epstein’s 2008 state conviction. Trump has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, and no charges have been brought against him in connection with Epstein.
What Comes Next
The Oversight Committee’s investigation remains ongoing, with unredacted estate documents at the center of its next phase. Comer maintains the material is critical for both legislative purposes and public accountability.
0 Comments