The congressional investigation into the Jeffrey Epstein case has stalled due to ongoing government shutdown
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee’s monthslong inquiry into the late convicted sex offender and disgraced financier has come to a virtual standstill as the government remains in a shutdown. With federal employees on furl, the committee’s probe has been significantly delayed, and the Department of Justice (DOJ) has not provided any new information since October 1, when federal funding lapsed. Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the panel’s top Democrat, has accused the DOJ of slow-walking, saying the department has not provided substantive updates on the case. According to two anonymous sources, investigators have not received any responses from DOJ regarding the subpoena since the shutdown began. Garcia highlighted that despite multiple requests from Committee staff for information on materials still within DOJ’s possession or plans for additional documents, the department has failed to deliver any meaningful updates. He also criticized the DOJ for not providing any substantive information on progress producing files relating to Epstein.
The DOJ spokesperson confirmed that the communication breakdown was due to the shutdown, stating that correspondence from Congress during a lapse in appropriations is limited. The spokesperson reiterated the DOJ’s commitment to transparency and cooperation with the Committee, but emphasized that the current situation is a result of the shutdown, with the hope that the government will reopen soon. The delays are the latest chapter in the political battle surrounding the Epstein case, which has become a major point of contention on Capitol Hill. Democrats have used the case to challenge President Donald Trump’s actions, arguing that the administration is not fulfilling its promises of transparency. Meanwhile, Republican leadership has resisted efforts to force a floor vote that would compel the Justice Department to release more materials to the public, with Speaker Mike Johnson refusing to swear in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, the Arizona Democrat who would be the 218th signer on the discharge petition to bring up the bill.
Republicans have defended the Oversight probe as the appropriate vehicle for obtaining information on the Epstein case, although Democrats and some rank-and-file Republicans have complained that the DOJ is releasing information too slowly and in piecemeal fashion. According to Garcia’s letter, the documents provided by DOJ since August 22 have largely consisted of materials already made public, raising concerns about the department’s transparency and efficiency. The DOJ has not handed over any new information to the Oversight Committee since that date. Meanwhile, Garcia also questioned Attorney General Pam Bondi about the Department’s treatment of Epstein’s co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell. Maxwell, who was recently relocated from a federal prison in Florida to a minimum security prison camp in Texas shortly after her interview with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, has raised questions about the department’s approach to handling the case. Maxwell stated she had no recollection of Trump’s involvement in inappropriate situations with Epstein, prompting further scrutiny.