The House is looking into the Epstein investigation. Here’s what could happen next

By Stephen Groves Associated Press WASHINGTON A key House committee is looking into the scrutiny of the late Jeffrey Epstein for sex trafficking crimes working to subpoena President Donald Trump s Department of Justice for files in the event as well as hold a deposition of Epstein s former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell The Republican-led House Oversight and Administration Change Committee acted just before House Speaker Mike Johnson R-La sent lawmakers home early for a monthlong break from Washington The committee s moves are evidence of the mounting pressure for disclosure in a development that Trump has unsuccessfully urged his supporters to move past But they were also just the start of what can be a drawn-out process Related Articles Letters We must learn to co-exist with mountain lions New photos videos shine light on Trump s ties to Epstein Texas Republicans aim to redraw House districts at Trump s urging but there s a peril Letters Invented emergencies shroud Supreme Court in secrecy Walters California GOP House members Trump budget vote puts majority in play Here s what could happen next in the House inquiry as lawmakers seek answers in a event that has sparked rampant speculation since Epstein s death in and more not long ago caused a large number of in the Trump administration to renege on promises for a complete accounting Subpoena for the Epstein files Democrats joined by three Republicans were able to successfully initiate the subpoena from a subcommittee just as the House was leaving Washington for its August recess But it was just the start of negotiations over the subpoena The subcommittee agreed to redact the names and personal information of any sufferers but besides that their demand for information is quite broad encompassing un-redacted Epstein files As the parameters of the subpoena are drafted Democrats are demanding that it be fulfilled within days from when it is served to Attorney General Pam Bondi They have also proposed a list of document demands including the prosecutorial decisions surrounding Epstein documents related to his death and communication from any president or executive official regarding the matter Ultimately Republicans who control the committee will have more power over the scope of the subpoena but the fact that it was approved with a strong bipartisan vote gives it particular heft The committee chairman Rep James Comer R-Ky announced he notified the speaker that Republicans on the Oversight Committee were going to move to be more aggressive in trying to get transparency with the Epstein files So we did that and I think that s what the American people want Will Congress depose Ghislaine Maxwell Comer has announced that he is hoping that staff from the committee can interview Maxwell under oath on Aug at or near the federal prison in Florida where she is serving a lengthy sentence for child sex trafficking In a congressional deposition the subject typically has an attorney present to help them answer or not answer questions while maintaining their civil rights Subjects also can decline to answer questions if it could be used against them in a criminal event though in this instance that might not matter because Maxwell has already been convicted of a large number of of the things she will likely be urged about Maxwell has the ability to negotiate a few of the terms of the deposition and she already conducted days of interviews with Justice Department representatives this past week Democrats however warn that Maxwell is not to be trusted We should understand that this is a very complex witness and someone that has caused great harm and not a good person to a lot of people Rep Robert Garcia the top Democrat on the oversight committee notified reporters this week The House wants to subpoena others Committee Republicans also initiated a motion to subpoena a host of other people including former President Bill Clinton former Sen Hillary Clinton as well as the former attorneys general dating back to Alberto Gonzales who served under George W Bush It s not clear how this sweeping list of proposed subpoenas will play out but Comer has declared We re going to move speedily on that How will Pam Bondi comply Trump is no stranger to fighting against congressional investigations and subpoenas And as with the greater part subpoenas the Justice Department can negotiate the terms of how it fulfills the subpoena It can also make legal arguments against handing over certain information Joshua A Levy who teaches on congressional investigations at Georgetown Law School and is a partner at Levy Firestone Muse announced that the results of the subpoena depend on whether the administration wants to work through the traditional accommodation process with the House and reach a resolution or if one or both sides becomes entrenched in its position If Congress is not satisfied with Bondi s response or if she were to refuse to hand over any information there are several tactics lawmakers can try to enforce the subpoena However that would require a vote to hold Bondi in contempt of Congress It s practically unheard of for one political party to vote to hold one of its own members in contempt of Congress but the Epstein saga has also cut across political lines and driven a wedge in the GOP Growing pressure on the Trump administration for disclosure Ultimately the bipartisan vote to subpoena the files revealed how political pressure is mounting on the Trump administration to disclose the files Politics agenda and the law are all bound up together in this affair and numerous in Congress want to see a full accounting of the sex trafficking inquiry We can t allow individuals especially those at the highest level of our establishment to protect child sex traffickers revealed Rep Summer Lee D-Pa a committee member The Trump administration is already facing the foreseen for even more political tension When Congress comes back to Washington in September a bipartisan group of House lawmakers is working to advance to a full House vote a bill that aims to force the constituents release of the Epstein files