The House Oversight Committee made a striking move on August 5, 2025, issuing subpoenas to the Justice Department for documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking investigation, as reported by PBS News. The Republican-led panel is also calling for depositions from former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and eight former high-ranking law enforcement officials, intensifying focus on a case that continues to grip public interest. Despite President Donald Trump’s attempts to distance himself from the issue, bipartisan lawmakers are pressing for clarity in the Epstein probe.
The committee’s decision stems from a July 24, 2025, subcommittee vote, where three Republicans—Reps. Nancy Mace, Scott Perry, and Brian Jack—joined Democrats in an 8-2 decision to demand Justice Department records, per CNN. The subpoenas seek all Epstein-related files, with victim names redacted, and communications between the Biden administration and the Justice Department, with a deadline of August 19. Depositions are scheduled through October, with Hillary Clinton set for October 9 and Bill Clinton for October 14, according to AP News. “Today was an important step forward in our fight for transparency regarding the Epstein files,” said Reps. Robert Garcia and Summer Lee, leading Democrats, in a joint statement.
The committee also subpoenaed Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former associate serving a 20-year sentence for her role in the trafficking scheme, for a deposition on August 11 at a Florida prison. However, Chairman James Comer may postpone this until the Supreme Court rules on Maxwell’s appeal, per NBC News. “The American people want transparency,” said Rep. Summer Lee during the July vote, underscoring the push for accountability. The panel is also seeking testimony from former Attorneys General Merrick Garland, William Barr, Jeff Sessions, Loretta Lynch, Eric Holder, and Alberto Gonzales, as well as former FBI Directors James Comey and Robert Mueller, per CBS News.
Key aspects of the investigation include:
- Epstein Files: Subpoenas target Justice Department records on the trafficking probe.
- High-Profile Depositions: Clintons and former officials face questioning under oath.
- Maxwell’s Testimony: Her deposition may be delayed pending her appeal.
The renewed scrutiny follows Epstein’s 2019 death in a New York jail while awaiting trial, which sparked widespread speculation about the case. Although Trump has denied prior knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and promised to release grand jury transcripts, a Florida judge rejected the request on July 24, per The New York Times. With House Speaker Mike Johnson resisting a full vote before September, per Axios, the committee’s actions signal a bipartisan drive for answers, keeping the Epstein case in the spotlight.
Sources: PBS News, CNN, AP News, NBC News, The New York Times, CBS News, Axios
