Representative Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) indicated plans to summon the property of the late Jeffrey Epstein, specifically a so-called “birthday book” that allegedly contains letters from various notable figures, including former President Trump.
Khanna made these remarks during an appearance on MSNBC’s “Last Words with Lawrence O’Donnell,” following an interview with lawyer Bradley Edwards, who represents numerous Epstein victims.
In that interview, Edwards discussed this infamous book, which was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. He noted that a memo believed to have been penned by Trump is now property of the Epstein Estate and urged Congress to act in retrieving the real estate where the book is held.
Khanna, who has led a bipartisan initiative urging the Justice Department to release Epstein-related files, expressed surprise over the book’s ownership. He mentioned plans to issue a subpoena to obtain it.
“Learning that the birthday book is with a private lawyer associated with Epstein’s estate was unexpected for me,” Khanna remarked.
On Wednesday, Khanna highlighted that the House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee had approved various subpoenas, including requests for the Justice Department to hand over materials linked to Epstein. Some Republican members joined Democrats in supporting this action.
Still, Khanna expressed uncertainty about the impact of the subpoenas.
“We have called for the Epstein files, which poses a challenge in getting the Department of Justice to cooperate,” he said. “However, getting a private lawyer to comply with a summons related to private property is less difficult.”
Khanna further criticized the current Justice Department under Trump for its sluggishness and potential evasiveness regarding the subpoenas.
“Through Congress, we can pursue these Epstein estates, and I’ve noted that Republicans are open to siding with us on this,” he mentioned. “This might be the more straightforward approach.”
Khanna plans to meet Edwards and the Supervisory Board to discuss next steps for advancing the subpoena for the ‘birthday book,’ believing that it could progress easily.
Trump recently filed a lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal following a story that recounted an alleged birthday letter he sent Epstein for the latter’s 50th birthday.
The letter from 2003 is reportedly depicted with illustrations “surrounded by the outlines of a naked woman.” It allegedly states, “Happy birthday – and it could be another great secret every day.”
Trump has denied composing letters of this nature.
“This lawsuit aims to defend my favorite president, me, and uphold the rights of all Americans against the deceptive practices of the media,” Trump commented about the Truth Society last week.
Khanna asserted that the subpoena regarding the “birthday book” could help clarify the existence of the letter.
“We will find out if the letters mentioned by the Wall Street Journal are indeed in the book, along with any other correspondence from Trump and numerous other individuals implicated in sex trafficking,” Khanna stated, adding, “Rest assured, the victims’ protection remains our priority.”
