Dems invoke obscure law to force Epstein documents disclosure – US politics updates

Democrats Use Rare Law to Seek Release of Epstein Files

On Capitol Hill today, Senate Democrats—led by majority leader Chuck Schumer—will hold a press conference to outline their efforts to pressure the Justice Department to disclose the complete, unredacted files related to Jeffrey Epstein.

The Democrats are invoking an obscure regulation, informally called the “rule of five,” which mandates that government agencies release requested information if at least five members of a committee make the demand. Yesterday, all Democratic members of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee signed a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi urging the disclosure.

Key Developments

Court Documents Reveal Limited Witnesses in Epstein, Maxwell Probes

Transcripts from grand jury proceedings related to the sex trafficking indictments of Jeffrey Epstein and his associate, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, include testimony from only two law enforcement witnesses, according to a Justice Department statement arguing for the release of the records.

In a filing submitted late Tuesday to a federal court in Manhattan, senior Justice Department officials disclosed that separate grand juries—convened to review the criminal investigations of Epstein and Maxwell—heard from just two witnesses.

The disclosure emerged amid ongoing legal disputes over whether the grand jury transcripts should be made public, as controversy continues to surround the Epstein scandal, which has caused turmoil during Donald Trump’s second presidential term.

The administration is pressing the two federal judges who oversaw the Epstein and Maxwell grand juries—Richard Berman and Paul Engelmayer—to authorize the release of the testimony in an effort to quell public outrage.

Trump’s administration has faced significant backlash from its own supporters, angered by the Justice Department’s refusal to disclose additional Epstein files regarding the late financier’s crimes, particularly his involvement in the sex trafficking of minors.

This decision contrasted sharply with prior statements from high-ranking officials, including Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi, who had previously suggested that more details about Epstein’s business dealings, travel records, and associates—including a potential list of his financial clients—would be released. These statements had further fueled conspiracy theories involving the well-connected Epstein.

According to Tuesday’s filing, the grand jury assigned to Epstein’s case heard testimony solely from an FBI agent during sessions in June and July 2019. A separate grand jury for Maxwell’s case listened to the same FBI agent and a detective from the New York Police Department in hearings held in June and July 2020, as well as March 2021.

The document was signed by Jay Clayton, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, and included Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche among its signatories.

Epstein died by suicide in a federal prison in August 2019, shortly after his arrest on federal sex trafficking charges.