
Congress to subpoena Ghislaine Maxwell amid political firestorm over Jeffrey Epstein files
Tennessee Republican Tim Burchett introduced a motion to compel Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence in a Florida prison for crimes related to the Epstein case, to testify before the House oversight committee.
The move appears to skirt an announcement early on Tuesday that officials from the Department of Justice are also planning to meet with Maxwell.
'We got to send a message to these dirt bags,' Burchett said in a statement posted on X, referring to the list of clients and other Epstein enablers who are assumed to be included in the remaining Epstein files, the details of which are not publicly known.
We've just got to get to the bottom of this thing, folks. It's four years and we don't need to tolerate this stuff any more.
Soon after Burchett's announcement, Mike Johnson, the Republican House speaker, said he was shutting down operations in the chamber early, sending lawmakers home before a five-week summer recess.
They were scheduled to leave Washington for their districts on 24 July and be out through the month of August, but will now leave a day earlier.
The decision comes as Democrats and a handful of Republicans continue to press for files related to Epstein, sending regular legislative schedules into chaos.
'We're not going to play political games with this,' Johnson said at a news conference.
Separately, a New York judge has ordered that the Trump administration must send more documents to support its call to release secret grand jury testimony from the 2021 Maxwell prosecution.
T he Epstein issue has plagued the Trump administration. Picture: AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Judge Paul Engelmayer said New York federal court would like to 'expeditiously' resolve the Trump administration's request, but that it could not do so due to a number of missing submissions, including 'why disclosure is being sought in the particular case' and 'what specific information is being sought for disclosure', he wrote.
Engelmayer said the government must file a memorandum of law no later than 29 July and ordered Maxwell and the victims to file their positions on the proposed disclosure by 5 August.
The Epstein issue has plagued the Trump administration as the president's own supporters buck him and clamor for more information, and as details continue to emerge about Trump's personal connections with Epstein, who was a friend of his for many years until they fell out.
Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had sent Epstein a lewd drawing along with a suggestive dialogue between the two men. The Trump administration responded by suing the newspaper and its owner, Rupert Murdoch.
Epstein issues splits Capitol Hill
The issue has also riven Capitol Hill. On Tuesday, the Republican-led House of Representatives, led by Trump ally Johnson – who recently undermined the president by calling for the release of all files, only to back down several days later – voted to start its summer holiday early in order to avoid Epstein-related votes planned for Thursday.
Burchett said he had introduced the motion directing James Comer, chair of the committee, to authorize and issue a subpoena for Maxwell. Comer was 'down with it', Burchett said. 'I believe he's going to issue the subpoena. He's a stand-up guy.'
He also acknowledged that he would receive 'blowback, and folks up here are going to be mad at me, but ultimately and with all sincerity, I'm gonna answer my creator on this issue'.
Burchett told Axios that he did not consult Trump before calling on the committee to subpoena Maxwell. He has previously written to Comer urging him to bring Maxwell in to testify.
'She's the last one standing,' he told the publication. 'There's nobody else alive that can tell us anything.'
He also said he believes Maxwell could 'tell us the operation, how it went down, who were the supporters of it … Ultimately I'd like to see justice.'
Justice department sending US deputy attorney general to meet Maxwell
The announcement came hours after the justice department said it was planning to send Todd Blanche, the US deputy attorney general, to Florida to meet with Maxwell. Lawyers for Maxwell said on Tuesday evening in a court filing that they had spoken to Blanche, Reuters reported.
Last week, Trump directed the attorney general, Pam Bondi, to ask a court to release all relevant grand jury testimony in Epstein's case.
Maxwell attorney David Oscar Markus confirmed on X 'that we are in discussions with the government and that Ghislaine will always testify truthfully'.
On Tuesday morning, Blanche also released a statement, posted by Bondi, saying that he plans to meet with Maxwell 'in the coming days'.
Blanche's statement also defended the department's early July release, saying it was 'as accurate today as it was when it was written'.
- The Guardian
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Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
US attorney general told Trump his name is among many in Epstein files, Wall Street Journal reports
US attorney general Pam Bondi told president Donald Trump in May his name appeared in justice department files related to financier Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in prison, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing senior administration officials. Reuters was not able to immediately verify the Journal's report, which the White House characterised as 'fake news'. The newspaper's report threatened to expand what has become a political crisis for Mr Trump, whose past friendship with Epstein has drawn renewed scrutiny after his administration said it would not release the files, reversing a campaign promise. The justice department released a memo earlier this month that there was no basis to continue investigating the Epstein case, triggering a backlash among Mr Trump's political base, who demanded more information about wealthy and powerful people who had interacted with Epstein. READ MORE Mr Trump has not been accused of wrongdoing related to Epstein and has said their friendship ended before Epstein was first prosecuted. Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges. He had pleaded not guilty and the case was dismissed after his death. Under political pressure last week, Mr Trump directed the justice department to seek the release of sealed grand jury transcripts from the case. A federal judge denied that request earlier on Wednesday. While the White House immediately dismissed the report as fictitious, Ms Bondi and deputy attorney general Todd Blanche issued a statement that did not directly address the Wall Street Journal's reporting. [ Donald Trump sues Rupert Murdoch and Wall Street Journal publisher for $10bn over Jeffrey Epstein report Opens in new window ] 'Nothing in the files warranted further investigation or prosecution, and we have filed a motion in court to unseal the underlying grand jury transcripts,' the officials said. 'As part of our routine briefing, we made the president aware of the findings.' The Journal reported that Ms Bondi and her deputy told Mr Trump at a White House meeting that his name, as well as those of 'many other high-profile figures', appeared in the files. Last week, the newspaper reported that Mr Trump had sent Epstein a bawdy birthday note in 2003 that ended, 'Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret.' Reuters has not confirmed the authenticity of the alleged letter. Mr Trump has sued the Journal and its owners, including billionaire Rupert Murdoch, asserting that the birthday note was fake. Since the justice department's memo, Mr Trump has faced growing frustration among his base of supporters, after far-right figures spent years promoting conspiracy theories – at times echoed by Mr Trump – about Epstein and alleged ties to prominent Democratic politicians. Epstein hung himself in prison in 2019, according to the New York City chief medical examiner. But his connections with wealthy and powerful individuals prompted speculation that his death was not a suicide. The justice department said in its memo this month that it had concluded Epstein died by his own hand. [ Top Republican Mike Johnson shuts US Congress early to avoid Epstein vote Opens in new window ] In a sign of how the issue has bedevilled Mr Trump and his fellow Republicans, US House speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday abruptly said he would send lawmakers home for the summer a day early to avoid a floor fight over a vote on the Epstein files. His decision temporarily stymied a push by Democrats and some Republicans for a vote on a bipartisan resolution that would require the justice department to release all Epstein-related documents. More than two-thirds of Americans believe the Trump administration is hiding information about Epstein's clients, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted last week. Wednesday's court motion stemmed from federal investigations into Epstein in 2005 and 2007, according to court documents. US district judge Robin Rosenberg found that the justice department's request in Florida did not fall into any of the exceptions to rules requiring grand jury material be kept secret. The justice department also has pending requests to unseal transcripts in Manhattan federal court related to later indictments brought against Epstein and his former associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence after her conviction for child sex trafficking and other crimes. – Reuters (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2025


Irish Independent
2 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Judge rejects Trump administration effort to unseal Epstein grand jury records in Florida
U.S. District Judge Robin Rosenberg in West Palm Beach said the request to release grand jury documents from 2005 and 2007 did not meet any of the extraordinary exceptions under federal law that could make them public. The Justice Department last week asked the judge to release records to quell a storm among supporters of President Donald Trump who believe there was a conspiracy to protect Epstein's clients, conceal videos of crimes being committed and other evidence. In 2008, Epstein cut a deal with federal prosecutors in Florida that allowed him to escape more severe federal charges and instead plead guilty to state charges of procuring a person under 18 for prostitution and solicitation of prostitution. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche had asked judges in Florida and New York to unseal transcripts from grand jury proceedings that resulted in indictments against Epstein and former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell, saying 'transparency to the American public is of the utmost importance to this Administration.' Federal grand juries hear evidence in secret and then decide whether there is enough for an indictment. Experts say the transcripts likely would not reveal much because prosecutors typically are trying only to present enough material to get charges and don't introduce the entire investigation. Epstein, a wealthy financier, years later was arrested in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges, while Maxwell was charged with helping him abuse teenage girls. Epstein was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in New York City about a month after he was arrested. Investigators concluded he killed himself. Maxwell later was convicted at trial and sentenced to 20 years in prison. The case attracted attention because of Epstein and Maxwell's links to famous people, including royals, presidents and billionaires. It also led to some of the biggest conspiracy theories animating Trump's base. The furor over records has been stoked by the Justice Department. In February, far-right influencers were invited to the White House and provided with binders marked 'The Epstein Files: Phase 1' and 'Declassified.' The binders contained documents that had largely already been in the public domain. The department on July 7 acknowledged that Epstein did not have a list of clients. It also said no more files related to his case would be made public. A two-page memo that bore the logos of the FBI and Justice Department, but that was not signed by any individual, said the department determined that no 'further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted.'


Irish Independent
2 hours ago
- Irish Independent
EU and US move toward trade deal that could include a 15pc baseline tariff on EU goods with possible exemptions
European negotiators were hoping to reach an agreement to dodge the 30pc tariff rate Trump has said he would impose on imports from the 27-nation bloc on August 1. The rate, which could also extend to cars, would mirror the framework agreement the U.S. has struck with Japan, which Trump announced late on Tuesday. There could be concessions for sectors like aircraft and lumber as well as some medicines and agricultural products, which would not face tariffs, the diplomats said. Washington does not, however, appear willing to lower its current 50pc tariff on steel, they said. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro told Bloomberg News the report from the EU should be taken with "a grain of salt." As talks continued, the European Commission said it would press on with potential counter-measures in case a deal was not reached. EU member states were set to vote on 93 billion euros of counter-tariffs on U.S. goods on Thursday, European diplomats said. A broad majority of members support using anti-coercion instruments if there is no deal, they said. Trump was aiming to secure an agreement on the heels of a complicated deal reached with Japan, the largest foreign investor in the U.S. That deal included a $550 investment and loan pledges from Japan and its commitment to buy 100 Boeing airplanes and boost purchases of U.S. agricultural products. That investment - to be spent at Trump's discretion - would focus on key industries like energy, semiconductors, critical minerals, pharmaceuticals and shipbuilding, the White House said on Wednesday. Tariffs on Japan's auto sector will drop from 27.5pc to 15pc as part of the agreement, reviving hopes for similar treatment for European cars. Asian and European stock markets rallied as investors cheered the U.S.-Japan agreement, but U.S. stocks showed a more modest rise and earnings reports were gloomy. American businesses making everything from chips to steel reported downbeat results on Wednesday, revealing how the Trump administration's chaotic trade policy has hurt profits, added to costs, upended supply chains and weighed on consumer confidence. U.S. automakers signaled their unhappiness with the Japan deal, raising concerns about a trade regime that cuts tariffs on Japanese auto imports while leaving 25pc tariffs on imports from their plants and suppliers in Canada and Mexico. "Any deal that charges a lower tariff for Japanese imports with virtually no U.S. content than the tariff imposed on North American-built vehicles with high U.S. content is a bad deal for U.S. industry and U.S. auto workers," said Matt Blunt, the president of the American Automotive Policy Council, which represents General Motors, Ford and Chrysler parent Stellantis. Automobile stocks led the climb of European shares after the Japan deal spurred hopes that the U.S. was budging over tariffs on EU cars. EU officials have previously said Washington has shown little sign of doing so. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in an interview with Bloomberg Television that Japan received the 15pc rate on auto tariffs "because they were willing to provide this innovative financing mechanism" that he did not think other countries could replicate. Trump, however, has appeared open to a range of options as the U.S. negotiates trade deals. "I will only lower tariffs if a country agrees to open its market," Trump wrote in a social media post on Wednesday. The Republican president said late on Tuesday that other countries would be coming to Washington for talks this week. Governments were scrambling to close trade deals before next week's deadline that the White House has repeatedly pushed back under pressure from markets and intense lobbying by industry. U.S. and Chinese officials plan to meet in Stockholm next week to discuss extending an August 12 deadline for negotiating a trade deal. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday would not discuss expectations for the meeting, but said Bessent "looks forward to continuing discussions with his Chinese counterparts."