Sen. Schiff Calls for Testimony Over Epstein Files
Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) is requesting that Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel come before Congress in light of a recent report by the Wall Street Journal.
“Back in May, we informed Trump that Bondi was mentioned in those files. Both Bondi and Patel were aware,” Schiff stated in a post on X.
“Yet in July, not long ago, Trump claimed he wasn’t told that his name was included. We need to bring Bondi and Patel to the Judiciary Committee to clarify this situation now.”
According to officials, the information was revealed during a standard briefing with the president. They indicated that during the meeting, Trump was made aware that further Epstein files would not be released due to their disturbing content.
Last week, Trump filed a lawsuit against the Journal to compel them to publish details of a birthday letter he reportedly wrote, which features his signature over the outline of a naked woman. The letter, sent to Epstein in 2003, seems to have garnered significant attention.
“People are amazing. Happy birthday – and every day may be another great secret,” read the closing line, as reported by the Journal.
Trump has tried to dissociate himself from Epstein, dismissing any deep connections while navigating through the financier’s offices. “That’s not my language, it’s not my language,” he claimed to the Journal.
Many of his supporters and fellow Republicans are expressing dissatisfaction over the ongoing scandal, particularly about the promise to fully release the Epstein files, leading to frustrations within the campaign. Although some Republican lawmakers are advocating for more document disclosures, the House’s decision to postpone actions until August has added to this frustration.
“People are frustrated. I want to know if there’s more information,” Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) shared with NewsNation.
Schiff and other Democrats have voiced their concerns and are pressing for increased transparency from Trump administration officials regarding their findings.
“Trump told the media he hadn’t been made aware that his name was in Epstein’s files. Now we have evidence that suggests otherwise. He was informed by Bondi, his past attorney, and by the AG,” Schiff commented.
“It’s time to end the Trump/Epstein cover-up. We’ll release the file,” he added.
The controversy surrounding the convicted sex offender resurfaced last week after a joint memo from the FBI and Justice Department stated that Epstein did not possess a “client list” and that his death in 2019 was ruled a suicide.
Meanwhile, Ghislaine Maxwell, accused of being Epstein’s co-conspirator, is scheduled to meet with DOJ officials in the coming days. Her family is also contemplating whether to issue a subpoena to her; she is currently serving a 20-year sentence for her role in the alleged sex trafficking of a minor.
