Epstein Files: House Committee Forces Justice Department to Release Records - Clintons Also Subpoenaed

Washington - In a move that once again thrusts the political explosiveness of the Jeffrey Epstein case into the spotlight, the House Oversight Committee on Tuesday compelled the Justice Department by subpoena to release all investigative records related to the sex trafficking scandal surrounding the deceased financier that have so far remained under seal. It is one of the most far-reaching initiatives by Congress in a case that, despite years of public debate, is still marked by secrets, legal gaps, and political volatility.

The Republican-controlled majority of the committee did not limit itself to demanding the files: at the same time, subpoenas for sworn depositions were also issued - including for former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and eight former top law enforcement officials. With this, Congress is escalating its approach to a new level that could have not only legal but also historical significance.

The demands reach Washington at a time when the political life of the capital has almost come to a halt due to the monthlong summer recess of Congress. Yet the Epstein case clearly allows no rest. Even in the absence of most lawmakers, the Oversight Committee is demonstrating that the question of fully disclosing the "Epstein Files" remains a top priority. The public and parts of both parties have been pushing for transparency for months - and patience is visibly running out.

The political risk also lies on the shoulders of President Donald Trump. Despite repeated attempts to declare the issue closed and to accept the Justice Department's refusal to release a full investigative report as final, the demands for clarification have not subsided. Neither the opposition nor parts of Trump's own base accept that key documents, transcripts, and evidence remain in the shadows.

Audrey Strauss, the acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, had already held up a photo of Epstein and his confidante Ghislaine Maxwell to the cameras at a press conference in Manhattan in July 2020. It was a symbol of a case repeatedly ground down between the courts, politics, and public expectation - and of a promise of transparency that remains unfulfilled to this day.

Now Congress has run out of patience. With the new subpoenas and the summonses of prominent political figures, including the former presidential couple Clinton, the legislature is signaling that it is determined to probe into the very core of this complex. The message is unmistakable: as long as the truth about Jeffrey Epstein, his networks, and possible links to the highest levels of power remains in the dark, there will be no peace - neither in the courts nor in politics.

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