The US House Oversight Committee released 33,295 pages of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein on 2/9, amid growing controversy surrounding the case as lawmakers returned to Washington after their summer recess. The release includes flight logs, court records, jail surveillance video, depositions, and memos, all part of the Epstein files held by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Democratic committee members stated that much of the information in this initial release is not new and continue to call for the DOJ to release all records related to Epstein. US media outlets have not yet verified how much of the released material is new.

The House Oversight Committee obtained these documents following a subpoena issued to the DOJ last month. Committee chairman James Comer said the DOJ holds extensive records and needs time to provide everything and redact sensitive information such as abuse details and victim identities.

Representative Thomas Massie holds a copy of the bill mandating the release of all Epstein records outside the US Capitol on 21/7. Photo: AP

Representative Thomas Massie holds a copy of the bill mandating the release of all Epstein records outside the US Capitol on 21/7. Photo: AP

Epstein, born in 1953, was arrested in New York in July 2019 on charges of sex trafficking dozens of minors, some as young as 14. He faced 45 years in prison if convicted.

Epstein denied all charges and was held at the Manhattan Correctional Center in New York. However, while awaiting trial, he died by suicide in his cell in August 2019.

US officials stated they would not drop the case and were determined to fully investigate Epstein's accomplices. Donald Trump, a former friend of Epstein, claimed he would release the files if re-elected, but has not done so and has repeatedly urged Republican voters not to "waste time" on the case, causing dissatisfaction among some of his supporters.

Democratic representative Ro Khanna and Republican representative Thomas Massie are leading efforts to pass the Epstein Records Transparency Act, which would compel the US attorney general to release all Epstein records in a searchable format.

All 212 Democratic representatives support the bill, and it would pass with the support of six more Republican representatives. Khanna will hold a press conference today, with 10 of Epstein's victims speaking with potentially "shocking" information, aiming to pressure other lawmakers to support the bill.

Duc Trung (USA Today, CNN)