House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) issued subpoenas to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and a number of high-profile former government officials, including former President Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as his members press for probes into matters surrounding convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The subpoenas come after members of a subcommittee last month voted on a bipartisan basis to subpoena the DOJ for the “full, complete, unredacted Epstein Files” — with three Republicans joining the Democratic-led motion — and to subpoena the 10 former U.S. officials, a Republican-led motion that was approved by voice vote.
Per the rules of the committee, Comer was compelled to issue the subpoenas, which relate to both to Epstein and the case of his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.
In a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Comer directs the DOJ to deliver the documents pursuant to the Epstein subpoena by Aug. 19.
“While the Department undertakes efforts to uncover and publicly disclose additional information related to Mr. Epstein and Ms. Maxwell’s cases, it is imperative that Congress conduct oversight of the federal government’s enforcement of sex trafficking laws generally and specifically its handling of the investigation and prosecution of Mr. Epstein and Ms. Maxwell,” Comer wrote in the letter to Bondi.
“The Committee may use the results of this investigation to inform legislative solutions to improve federal efforts to combat sex trafficking and reform the use of non-prosecution agreements and/or plea agreements in sex-crime investigations.”
Comer also announced that he issued subpoenas to 10 high-profile former government officials: the Clintons, former FBI Director James Comey, former Attorney General Loretta Lynch, former Attorney General Eric Holder, former Attorney General Merrick Garland, former FBI Director and special counsel Robert Mueller, former Attorney General William Barr, former Attorney General Jeff Sessions and former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.
The Oversight panel also subpoenaed Maxwell, the longtime associate of Epstein, but last week agreed to delay deposing her until after the Supreme Court considers her petition to overturn her conviction for sex trafficking.
Comer set dates for depositions of the officials, which have the possibility of changing based on negotiations with attorneys:
Former U.S. Attorney General William Barr: Aug. 18
Former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales: Aug. 26
Former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions: Aug. 28
Former FBI Director Robert Mueller: Sept. 2
Former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch: Sept. 9
Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder: Sept. 30
Former U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland: Oct. 2
Former FBI Director James Comey: Oct. 7
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: Oct. 9
Former President Clinton: Oct. 14
