A US congressional panel has released a trove of documents related to the federal investigation into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The House of Representatives Oversight Committee published 33,295 pages, including flight logs, jail surveillance video, court filings, audio recordings, and emails.
But Republicans and Democrats alike said the files contained little new information, and it is unclear if the justice department is withholding other Epstein records.
Pressure has grown from President Donald Trump's supporters for more transparency on the probe into the well-connected financier after the justice department said there was no incriminating Epstein client list.
Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, a Republican, ordered the documents to be published online on Tuesday. The Republican-led panel received the files after issuing a legal summons to the Department of Justice last month.
But Comer acknowledged that there was little fresh information. As far as I can see, there's nothing new in the documents, he told NBC News.
The videos released on Tuesday include footage from outside Epstein's New York jail cell on the night of his death, amounting to 13 hours and 41 seconds of footage covering the evening of 9 August to the morning of 10 August 2019. This is two hours more than what the justice department released two months ago.
However, the newly released footage does not include the so-called missing minute — a jump in the timecode between 23:00 and 00:00—according to CBS.
Attorney General Pam Bondi previously explained that the missing minute was simply due to the jail’s camera system resetting each night. However, this anomaly has fed conspiracy theories regarding the official conclusion that Epstein died by suicide.
The convicted paedophile once socialized with high-profile figures like Trump, former President Bill Clinton, and British royal Prince Andrew.
The document release also includes interviews with alleged victims from 2006, with their identities obscured as they recount experiences of sexual abuse while employed for massages.
Other materials show police bodycam footage during a search of Epstein’s home in Palm Beach, Florida. Some documents span back 20 years, originating from an initial criminal investigation by the Palm Beach police.
However, Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, stated that 97% of the documents received from the DOJ were already public, adding that there was no reference to a client list or other information that improved transparency for victims.
Democratic congresswoman Summer Lee noted that the release's only significant new information was flight logs compiled by US Customs and Border Protection, showing Epstein’s travel to and from his private island.
The release followed efforts from Republican Thomas Massie to push for legislation demanding the regular release of Epstein files from the Justice Department.
During a closed-door session, several Epstein victims met with House Speaker Mike Johnson and other oversight committee members, leading to emotional testimonies. Democratic lawmakers have characterized the ongoing situation as a potential cover-up.
A news conference featuring lawmakers and Epstein victims is scheduled to take place on Capitol Hill on Wednesday.
