Federal government failed to hold Epstein accountable, Republican committee says
The Republican-controlled House Oversight Committee released a report Tuesday on its investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his associates, concluding that the federal government mishandled criminal investigations into the disgraced financier and failed survivors.
asserted
government → fail → financier
"Epstein operated with impunity, shielded and enabled by powerful connections and a justice system that repeatedly failed his victims," said committee Chair James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky.
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Comer → operate → Kentucky
The scathing report comes after 15 months of interviews with 19 people, including former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
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report → come → State
Many of the interviews were conducted behind closed doors, with transcripts released days later.
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transcripts → conduct → doors
Appearing in the Department of Justice's Epstein files or before the committee is not necessarily an indication of criminal wrongdoing.
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Appearing → appear → wrongdoing
The report found that the facts revealed by the investigation do not suggest President Donald Trump was implicated in any of Epstein's crimes.
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Trump → find → crimes
The report also accuses Democrats of launching an "unfounded witch hunt" by attempting to insinuate that Trump was involved in Epstein's crimes.
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Trump → accuse → crimes
Epstein was arrested on federal sex-trafficking charges in 2019 and later died in prison.
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Epstein → arrest → prison
Authorities determined his death was a suicide.
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death → determine → ?
Changing of the guard
In January, Democrats will take control of the House, with Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) expected to be at the helm of the committee.
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Garcia → take → committee
In a statement Tuesday, Garcia criticized the report as "partisan.
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Garcia → criticize → report
"Oversight Republicans have released a report based on an incomplete investigation and zero public hearings on Jeffrey Epstein," Garcia said.
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Garcia → release → Epstein
"We intend to hold real public hearings uplifting survivors and asking tough questions of the powerful men who associated with Epstein, including Donald Trump.
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who → intend → Trump
Our work is just getting started."
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work → start → ?
Trump has long maintained he had a falling out with the disgraced financier before Epstein was indicted for soliciting prostitution in 2006.
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Epstein → maintain → 2006
In February, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told NPR in a statement that "just as President Trump has said, he's been totally exonerated on anything relating to Epstein."
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he → tell → Epstein
The report puts the next steps in the Epstein investigation into the hands of the DOJ, saying that the agency needs to interview or re-interview witnesses and investigate crimes committed by Epstein's associates.
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agency → put → associates
Maxwell is the only associate of Epstein to be charged with a crime and sentenced to prison.
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Maxwell → charge → prison
In June, the committee interviewed Sarah Kellen, a longtime assistant of Epstein, who says she is also a survivor of his abuse.
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she → interview → abuse
According to the committee's report, Kellen revealed the names of two men in her transcribed testimony that the committee sent to the DOJ for further investigation.
uncertain
committee → accord → investigation
The DOJ has not announced any investigations into the men.
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DOJ → announce → men
The report concludes that if not for the "failures" of federal prosecutors in South Florida and Washington, Epstein's crimes after 2005 could have been prevented.
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crimes → conclude → 2005
Epstein's conviction in 2008 for soliciting sex from girls as young as 14 has long been criticized as a "sweetheart deal."
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conviction → solicit → deal
Epstein served 13 months in Palm Beach County Jail with a 12-hour work release during the day.
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Epstein → serve → day
In addition, he had to register as a sex offender.
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he → have → offender
The report also says that "Epstein's pervasive influence and far-reaching connections" shielded him from further investigation.
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influence → say → investigation
After Gates appeared before the committee in June, Rep. Tim Burchett, a Republican from Tennessee, called Epstein a "friend collector."
"He just liked to have people around him that were a big deal," Burchett said.
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Burchett → appear → him
The report also says Trump's DOJ did not adequately communicate about the release of the Epstein files or protect survivors' personal information.
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DOJ → say → information
Large portions of the files were redacted, but the identities of many survivors were exposed.
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identities → redact → survivors
Finally, the report concludes that some financial institutions failed to act on indicators of human trafficking and immigration fraud, enabling Epstein's activities.
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institutions → conclude → activities
It said that the Treasury Department and its Financial Crimes Enforcement Network should review whether financial institutions are meeting their reporting responsibilities.
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institutions → say → responsibilities
In a statement released Tuesday, the DOJ said Attorney General Todd Blanche has repeatedly said "the Epstein case is not closed and there is no statute of limitations on human trafficking."
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case → release → trafficking
"With all due respect, the Chairman's recommendations have already been addressed," the DOJ statement said of committee chair, James Comer.
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statement → address → chair
"The Department will continue following all additional investigative leads in matters relating to Jeffrey Epstein.
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Department → continue → Epstein
Any victims with evidence and information are encouraged to reach out to the FBI."
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victims → encourage → FBI
The Treasury Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Department → respond → comment
Garcia has promised that when the committee is under Democratic control that it will continue the investigation into Epstein with hearings open to the public.
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it → promise → public
Other Democrats, as well as some Republicans, have continued to push to hold Epstein associates accountable.
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associates → continue → ?
In September, the House of Representatives held billionaire investor Leon Black in contempt of Congress for defying two congressional subpoenas.
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Black → hold → subpoenas
Between 2013 and 2017, Black paid Epstein millions of dollars.
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Black → pay → dollars
…and 2 more, not listed.
The Aporia
