In a major escalation of its probe into the government’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, the House Oversight and Accountability Committee has issued a subpoena to the disgraced financier’s estate, demanding access to a trove of documents, including the infamous “birthday book.” The move, which comes amid mounting public pressure for transparency, is aimed at shedding light on Epstein’s high-powered social network and whether powerful individuals were complicit in his crimes.
The subpoena, signed by Committee Chairman James Comer, seeks “all entries contained within the reported leather-bound book compiled by Ms. Ghislaine Maxwell.” The book, which was reportedly created for Epstein’s 50th birthday in 2003, has been at the center of a media firestorm since The Wall Street Journal reported last month that it contains a “bawdy” letter and drawing from then-real estate magnate Donald Trump.
While the President has vehemently denied the report and filed a defamation lawsuit against the Journal, the book’s contents are seen by lawmakers as a crucial piece of the puzzle. According to the subpoena, the book is “relevant for ongoing congressional oversight of the Department of Justice’s handling of the Epstein investigation and prosecution.” It also seeks to determine whether any of Epstein’s associates were involved in his trafficking network.
The request for the book is part of a broader push for documents from the Epstein estate, including non-disclosure agreements, his will, and any records that could be “reasonably construed to be a potential list of clients involved in sex, sex acts, or sex trafficking.” While both the Department of Justice and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell have denied the existence of a “client list,” the committee appears determined to leave no stone unturned.
The committee’s subpoena follows weeks of pressure from both Republicans and Democrats who have called for the full release of all government documents related to the Epstein case. While the Justice Department has begun to hand over a limited number of files, lawmakers say the “limitation of the documents raises more questions than answers.”
For their part, lawyers for the Epstein estate have confirmed receipt of the subpoena and stated they will “comply with all lawful process in this matter.” The deadline for the documents to be turned over is September 8, setting the stage for a new and potentially explosive chapter in the saga. As the public clamors for accountability and victims’ families seek justice, the congressional investigation and the fate of the “birthday book” hang in the balance.