Republican lawmakers have blocked a Democratic attempt to force the release of the so-called Epstein files, the undisclosed trove of evidence relating to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The move comes as the White House faces criticism for declining to publish the documents, which have become a focus of internal political conflict among US conservatives.
The Democratic measure, tabled by California congressman Ro Khanna, sought to attach an amendment to cryptocurrency legislation that would have compelled the justice department to release the evidence from Epstein's 2019 child sex-trafficking case. Attorney General Pam Bondi had earlier teased a full accounting, including a purported client list, but reversed course 10 days ago, saying the administration had concluded Epstein killed himself and would not release contents including a thousand hours of video depicting child sexual abuse.
"The question with Epstein is: whose side are you on?" Mr Khanna told Axios. "Are you on the side of the rich and powerful, or are you on the side of the people?" He promised to reintroduce the measure "again and again and again". However, Republicans on the House rules committee voted down the amendment, which would have allowed a full House vote on whether to release items including micro cassettes, DVDs, CDs – one labelled "girl pics nude book 4" – computer hard drives and three massage tables.
The dispute has also inflamed tensions within the Trump administration. Deputy FBI director Dan Bongino reportedly clashed with Ms Bondi over the Epstein case and considered resigning, while conservative figures including Marjorie Taylor Greene, Tucker Carlson, Steve Bannon and Megyn Kelly have called for publication. According to the Daily Beast, President Trump is furious with Mr Bongino, who has not been to work since 9 July after a shouting match with Ms Bondi. Trump has sided with Bondi, and Vice-President JD Vance was reportedly called in to mediate.
A recent CNN poll found half of Americans dissatisfied with the amount of information released on Epstein's case. Dissatisfaction stood at 56% among Democrats, 52% among independents and 40% among Republicans, with only 3% satisfied.
Separately, Epstein's convicted co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell has appealed to the US Supreme Court to uphold a non-prosecution agreement from Epstein's Florida plea deal. The justice department has petitioned the court to deny the request by Maxwell, 63, who is serving a 20-year sentence. Her attorney, David Oscar Markus, said: "I'd be surprised if President Trump knew his lawyers were asking the supreme court to let the government break a deal. He's the ultimate dealmaker – and I'm sure he'd agree that when the United States gives its word, it should keep it."
