A key US Home committee is investigating the Jeffrey Epstein intercourse trafficking case, searching for entry to recordsdata from President Donald Trump‘s Division of Justice and aiming to rearrange a deposition with Epstein’s former affiliate, Ghislaine Maxwell. The Home Oversight and Authorities Reform Committee, below Republican management, launched its inquiry simply as Home Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., adjourned the session for a month-long recess, in accordance with the Related Press. The transfer comes amid mounting requires transparency in a case that Trump has repeatedly urged his supporters to ignore. Nevertheless, this marks solely the start of what might turn into a chronic investigative course of. As a part of the probe, Democrats, joined by three Republicans, efficiently pushed for a subcommittee to subject subpoenas. The subcommittee has pledged to guard the identities of victims whereas demanding broad entry to “un-redacted Epstein recordsdata.” Democratic members have requested that the Division of Justice comply inside 30 days of serving Lawyer Normal Pam Bondi. The requested supplies embody documentation of prosecutorial choices relating to Epstein, data associated to his dying, and any presidential or government communications in regards to the matter. Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., mentioned he had spoken with the Speaker about elevated Republican efforts towards transparency regarding the Epstein recordsdata, calling it a matter of public curiosity. Comer expects congressional employees to conduct a sworn interview with Ghislaine Maxwell on August 11 close to the Florida jail the place she is incarcerated. Topics of congressional depositions usually have authorized illustration current. Maxwell has already participated in interviews with the Justice Division earlier this week. Committee Republicans have additionally issued subpoenas for a number of people, together with former President Invoice Clinton, former Senator Hillary Clinton, and former attorneys basic relationship again to Alberto Gonzales. The Division of Justice maintains the authority to barter the phrases of subpoenas and to argue in opposition to the disclosure of particular data. The end result will seemingly depend upon the administration’s willingness to interact within the conventional lodging course of with the Home.