Democratic lawmakers in the House oversight and government reform committee announced their plans on Tuesday to investigate whether the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) withheld information regarding an abuse allegation against President Donald Trump from the publicly released Epstein files. According to a statement from the committee, lawmakers suspect that the department did not reveal FBI materials related to a woman who alleged in 2019 that she was assaulted by Trump many years ago.
Congressman Robert Garcia, the ranking member of the committee, expressed concerns about the DOJ potentially concealing FBI interviews with the accuser. He emphasized that these records should be shared with Congress and the public promptly under the oversight committee’s subpoena and the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Garcia highlighted the seriousness of covering up evidence of a possible assault by the president.
The DOJ issued a statement denying any improper withholding of documents and clarified that all responsive materials have been made available, except for those falling under specific categories like duplicates, privileged information, or part of ongoing federal investigations.
After the NPR investigation uncovered discrepancies in the publicized Epstein files, it was revealed that certain documents related to Epstein were not disclosed as required by law. The New York Times further reported that several FBI memos summarizing interviews pertaining to the woman’s accusation against Trump were missing from the published materials. The DOJ has removed thousands of documents from the Epstein files due to privacy concerns and unsubstantiated claims against Trump and former President Bill Clinton.
The woman who accused Trump in 2019 alleged that he made sexual advances towards her when she was 13 years old, with Trump in his late 30s at the time. Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein. Despite the controversy surrounding the Epstein files, Trump did not address the issue during his recent state of the union address.
Garcia reiterated the committee’s commitment to uncovering the truth and seeking justice for the survivors involved in the Epstein case. The investigation into the handling of the Epstein files and allegations against Trump is ongoing.