House Democrats seek special counsel in Epstein case

Democrats seek an independent investigation

House Judiciary Committee Democrats called on the Justice Department to appoint a special counsel to investigate evidence they say may connect President Donald Trump to criminal activity involving Jeffrey Epstein. In a report made public Monday, the lawmakers said the evidence was sufficient to begin a criminal investigation.

The Democratic members also accused the Justice Department of obstructing inquiries into possible Epstein co-conspirators and concealing Trump’s connections to Epstein. They argued that Attorney General Todd Blanche, who previously served as Trump’s personal lawyer, could not independently oversee the matter.

Trump has repeatedly denied knowing about or participating in Epstein’s criminal conduct. He has said he ended his relationship with Epstein before the financier’s alleged sex trafficking became public. White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis rejected the report’s allegations and said Trump removed Epstein from Mar-a-Lago.

Congress and the Epstein records

A bipartisan federal law enacted in November required the release of millions of documents connected to the Epstein case. Trump’s name appears repeatedly in those records, but appearing in the files does not itself establish criminal conduct.

Epstein died by suicide in jail while awaiting federal sex trafficking and conspiracy charges. Ghislaine Maxwell, an Epstein associate, was convicted, while no other person has been charged in the United States in connection with the case.

Democrats currently lack the congressional majority needed to issue subpoenas without Republican support. The Republican-led House Oversight Committee has subpoenaed several Epstein associates, and Republicans helped pass the records-release law. A change in control of either congressional chamber after the midterm elections would give Democrats authority to issue subpoenas without Republican votes.