A 53-page House Judiciary Committee Democratic staff report alleges that federal authorities withheld evidence concerning President Donald Trump’s past association with Jeffrey Epstein and calls for an independent investigation ahead of the November midterm elections.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
House Democrats are preparing to expand investigations into President Donald Trump’s past relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein if they regain control of the House in November, releasing a 53-page report Monday that calls for an independent special counsel to examine allegations of sexual misconduct and an alleged Justice Department cover-up.
The report released by Democratic staff on the House Judiciary Committee on Oct. 26 alleges that Trump participated in Epstein’s sexual abuse of young women during the 1990s and accuses the Justice Department and FBI of withholding evidence that could implicate the president and other individuals associated with Epstein.
The document, titled “The Case Against Donald Trump Emerging in the Epstein Files and DOJ’s Desperate Efforts to Cover It Up,” was released eight days before the Nov. 3 midterm elections, when voters will determine which party controls Congress.
According to Politico’s coverage of the congressional report, Democrats are considering renewed oversight efforts if they secure a House majority, including further examination of Epstein-related investigative records and the federal government’s handling of allegations involving Trump.
Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, said the findings warrant an independent investigation because of concerns that the Justice Department cannot impartially examine allegations involving the president.
The report cites accounts involving 11 women, including five who have accused Trump of rape or sexual assault in Epstein’s company or presence. Other women described alleged attempts by Epstein or his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell to arrange sexual encounters involving Trump.
Those allegations have not been established as criminal findings against the president. Trump has repeatedly denied participating in Epstein’s abuse or having knowledge of his criminal activities and has not been charged with an Epstein-related offense.
The committee’s Democratic staff based its findings on interviews, survivor accounts, FBI records and documents released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The report identifies incidents allegedly occurring primarily between 1992 and 1997 in New York and Palm Beach, Florida.
It also examines connections involving Paolo Zampolli, a former modeling agent who served as a Trump administration official. The Democratic staff report suggests that Trump and Zampolli may have been involved in Epstein’s alleged efforts to exploit young women through relationships connected to the modeling industry.
These conclusions represent allegations advanced by the committee’s Democratic staff, not findings established through criminal proceedings.
The report separately accuses Attorney General Todd Blanche and other Justice Department officials of obstructing efforts to investigate Epstein’s possible accomplices.
According to the committee’s findings, Blanche, who previously served as Trump’s personal attorney, instructed Maxwell during a July 2025 prison interview not to discuss a particular survivor whose allegations implicated the president.
Democrats argue that the exchange raises questions about whether federal officials improperly restricted potentially relevant testimony. The report also alleges that the Justice Department closed investigations and withheld records while publicly maintaining that additional prosecutions were unwarranted.
Raskin accused the administration of protecting Trump rather than fully examining allegations involving Epstein’s associates.
“Trump’s Justice Department appears to be covering up these crimes to protect the President,” Raskin said in an official statement accompanying the report.
The congressman called for an independent special counsel to investigate possible criminal conduct involving Epstein’s associates and examine whether federal authorities deliberately interfered with investigations.
Democrats also want the Justice Department to provide additional records to Congress and cooperate with state and foreign prosecutors pursuing related inquiries.
The White House rejected the report’s conclusions and characterized the allegations as politically motivated.
“None of these allegations are true,” White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis said in a statement reported by Spectrum News.
Bis defended Trump’s record, maintaining that he expelled Epstein from his Mar-a-Lago club and supported the release of investigative documents. The administration has denied attempting to conceal evidence to protect the president.
Trump and Epstein were acquainted for years and appeared together at social events before their relationship ended. Their past association has received renewed attention following congressional demands for the disclosure of federal investigative materials concerning Epstein’s activities and associates.
Epstein pleaded guilty to Florida state prostitution-related offenses in 2008 and was arrested on federal sex trafficking charges in July 2019. He died in a New York federal detention facility the following month while awaiting trial. His death was ruled a suicide.
Maxwell was convicted in 2021 of crimes involving the recruitment and sexual exploitation of underage girls for Epstein and is serving a 20-year federal prison sentence.
The release of the new report comes amid continuing disputes over the Justice Department’s implementation of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which requires disclosure of federal records relating to Epstein, subject to applicable legal protections.
Democratic lawmakers have argued that the administration has not fully complied with disclosure requirements and have sought information concerning federal decisions to deny evidence requests from other jurisdictions.
In recent correspondence, Raskin questioned the Justice Department’s handling of requests from state authorities and foreign investigators seeking records relevant to potential crimes involving Epstein’s associates.
The Justice Department has defended restrictions on certain disclosures by citing legal and investigative considerations, including protections applicable to sensitive records.
Democrats contend that expanded congressional oversight could establish whether those explanations are justified and whether additional evidence has been improperly withheld.
Control of the House will determine which party directs the Judiciary Committee’s investigative agenda after the midterm elections. A Democratic majority would have greater authority to schedule hearings, issue subpoenas and seek testimony from administration officials concerning the Epstein investigations.
The committee report also recommends an independent special counsel to investigate alleged misconduct involving Trump and other potential participants in Epstein’s crimes. Such an appointment would require action through the Justice Department and would not automatically follow a change in congressional control.
The timing of the report has placed the Epstein controversy within the final days of the midterm campaign. Democrats have incorporated questions surrounding the release of investigative records into campaign messaging, while Republicans have accused their opponents of using the issue for political advantage.
The allegations remain disputed, and the newly released report does not establish that Trump committed the crimes described or that Justice Department officials engaged in a criminal cover-up.
Nevertheless, the committee’s Democratic members have made clear that they intend to pursue additional testimony, investigative records and oversight proceedings if they gain the authority to direct House investigations following the November elections.
Original article
Comments