Oversight Committee Obtains Epstein ‘Birthday Book’ At Center Of Trump-WSJ Dispute
'The release includes five of the 16 total sets'
Trump bashes 'badly failing' Democrats for reigniting Epstein skepticism: 'Does anybody really believe that?'
President Donald Trump doubled down on the Epstein attacks, once again pointing the finger at the Democratic Party.
The outrage surrounding the administration's handling of the Epstein files subsided in recent weeks while Congress was out of session. Now that the Hill is back, lawmakers have reignited interest in the Epstein scandal, which Trump insists is a "Democrat hoax."
'The Dems don't care about the victims.'
"The confused and badly failing Democrat Party did nothing about Jeffrey Epstein while he was alive except befriend him, socialize with him, travel to his Island, and take his money!" Trump said in a Truth Social post Friday.
"They knew everything there was to know about Epstein, but now, years after his death, they, out of nowhere, are seeming to show such love and heartfelt concern for his victims," Trump added. "Does anybody really believe that?"
RELATED: White House slams Massie's Epstein bill as a 'very hostile act' — some Republicans sign on anyway
Trump insisted Democrats don't actually care about Epstein's victims, saying if they did, they would have taken action in years prior. Instead, Trump argued that Democrats have resurrected the scandal because of their low approval ratings.
"The now dying (after the DOJ gave thousands of pages of documents in full compliance with a very comprehensive and exacting Subpoena from Congress!) Epstein case was only brought back to life by the Radical Left Democrats because they are doing so poorly, with the lowest poll numbers in the history of the Party (16%), while the Republicans are doing so well, among the highest approval numbers the Party has ever had!" Trump said. "The Dems don't care about the victims, as proven by the fact that they never did before."
"This is merely another Democrat HOAX, just like Russia, Russia, Russia, and all of the others, in order to deflect and distract from the great success of a Republican President, and the record setting failure of the previous Administration, and the Democrat Party," Trump added.
RELATED: Thomas Massie leads pressure campaign, forcing Congress to address Epstein
Although Trump has repeatedly framed the Epstein scandal as a Democratic talking point, there has consistently been bipartisan support for transparency.
The moment Congress came back in session on Monday, Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky filed a discharge petition, which would force a vote on the House floor to release the Epstein files. In order to force the vote, Massie would need signatures from at least 218 members of Congress.
As of Thursday, the petition has secured 215 signatures, including four from Republicans: Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, and Massie. Rep. Eric Swalwell of California is the only Democrat who has not yet signed but intends to, meaning signatures from at least two more Republicans are needed to force the vote.
Notably, the White House slammed Massie's petition, calling it a "very hostile act" to deter other Republicans from signing on.
RELATED: FBI, DOJ Epstein memo sparks right-wing outrage: 'Nobody is believing this'
"Helping Thomas Massie and liberal Democrats with their attention-seeking, while the DOJ is fully supporting a more comprehensive file release effort from the Oversight Committee, would be viewed as a very hostile act to the administration," one White House official said in an email to NBC.
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White House slams Massie's Epstein bill as a 'very hostile act' — some Republicans sign on anyway
While the White House has tried to move past the Epstein files, some Republicans are reigniting the pressure campaign for transparency.
The commotion surrounding the Epstein files largely subsided in early August after Congress left Washington, D.C., for its annual five-week recess. Now that the Hill is back in full force, Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky is once again leading the charge to release the Epstein files.
'They’re threatening anyone who helps bring true transparency.'
Massie filed a discharge petition on Tuesday as soon as Congress came back into session. The discharge petition, should it reach at least 218 signatures, would force a vote on his bill to make public all Epstein-related materials with minimal redactions.
Although Massie's petition has gained traction with Democrats, a White House official warned Republicans that signing on to the petition would be viewed as a "hostile act" by the administration.
RELATED: Thomas Massie leads pressure campaign, forcing Congress to address Epstein
"Helping Thomas Massie and liberal Democrats with their attention-seeking, while the DOJ is fully supporting a more comprehensive file release effort from the Oversight Committee, would be viewed as a very hostile act to the administration," the official said in an email to NBC.
Within two hours of Massie's filing, the petition secured the backing of 131 Democrats and three Republicans: Reps. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, and Lauren Boebert of Colorado. Assuming all 212 Democrats back Massie's petition, he will need six Republicans besides himself to meet the 218 signature threshold.
"I’m committed to doing everything possible for the victims of Jeffrey Epstein," Greene said in a post on X. "Including exposing the cabal of rich and powerful elites that enabled this."
RELATED: FBI, DOJ Epstein memo sparks right-wing outrage: 'Nobody is believing this'
"They’re threatening anyone who helps bring true transparency and justice for the survivors," Massie said in a post on X. "This is a tacit admission the Oversight Committee data release is woefully incomplete."
The data release Massie is referring to came from the House Oversight Committee Tuesday afternoon and includes over 33,000 Epstein-related documents that were made publicly available.
"As a survivor, I stand with victims demanding justice and full transparency," Mace said in a post on X. "I also just signed the discharge petition to ensure the full truth comes out."
House Republicans also scheduled a vote later in the week to allow the House Oversight Committee to "continue its ongoing investigation" into the government's "possible mismanagement" of the Epstein case. Massie pushed back, calling it a "meaningless vote" meant to provide "political cover" for politicians who don't want to support his bill.
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Thomas Massie leads pressure campaign, forcing Congress to address Epstein
As lawmakers return from their five-week recess, Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky is wasting no time to address the Epstein files.
Just as Republicans managed to drown out much of the Epstein drama, Massie is reigniting the fight for transparency surrounding the files.
'Massie promptly pushed back on the move, calling it a "meaningless vote."'
Massie announced he will file a discharge petition as soon as the House is back in session on Monday, which would force a vote in the House to release the Epstein files, so long as he collects at least 218 signatures from his colleagues. If all 212 Democrats sign on, he will need signatures from at least six more Republican lawmakers.
"I pray Speaker Johnson will listen to the pleas of these victims for justice and quit trying to block a vote on our legislation to release the Epstein files," Massie said in a post on X.
RELATED: Democrat lawmaker pounces on Epstein drama, calls for congressional vote
Massie's bill, which is being co-led by Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California, requires all Epstein-related materials in the DOJ, FBI, and the U.S. Attorney's Offices to be made publicly available within 30 days of the bill's passage.
The legislation would also require Attorney General Pam Bondi to submit a report to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees listing all the categories of the records that were released and withheld, a summary and legal justification of all the redactions made, and a list of government officials and "politically exposed persons" named in the materials "with no redactions permitted."
With respect to redactions, the bill clarifies no information may be withheld for purposes of "embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary."
The bill does allow for redactions for any content that violates the privacy of any victims involved; for child sexual abuse materials; if it jeopardizes an ongoing federal investigation or depicts death, abuse, or injury of a person; or if it is in the interest of national defense.
RELATED: FBI, DOJ Epstein memo sparks right-wing outrage: 'Nobody is believing this'
While Massie and Khanna continue their push for transparency, the House leadership also scheduled their own vote on a bill that would direct the House Oversight Committee to "continue its ongoing investigation" into the government's "possible mismanagement" of the Epstein case.
Massie promptly pushed back on the move, calling it a "meaningless vote" that simply provides "political cover" for members who don't support his bipartisan legislation. Massie and Khanna are also set to hold a joint press conference on Wednesday with 10 of Epstein's victims to raise awareness and bring attention to their bill.
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Whistleblower alleges widespread manipulation of DC crime stats, fueling Oversight Committee probe
A whistleblower has reportedly come forward to confirm claims that the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., has been manipulating crime data, a scandal that has led the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to launch its own investigation.
In August, President Donald Trump initiated a federal surge on D.C. streets, citing high crime rates despite the MPD reporting a decline.
'The Committee has obtained credible, alarming information that MPD leadership falsified crime data to deceptively show a decline in violent crime in the District.'
While Trump faces backlash from critics for taking matters into his own hands, a scandal is unfolding regarding whether the police department manipulated the data to make it appear as though crime rates have been declining.
The D.C. Police Union has long accused the MPD of manipulating crime data. Following the union's allegations, the department placed Police Commander Michael Pulliam on paid administrative leave in May. The department is investigating the claims.
"When our members respond to the scene of a felony offense where there is a victim reporting that a felony occurred, inevitably there will be a lieutenant or a captain that will show up on that scene and direct those members to take a report for a lesser offense," Gregg Pemberton, the chairman of the D.C. Police Union, previously explained to WRC-TV.
"So instead of taking a report for a shooting or a stabbing or a carjacking, they will order that officer to take a report for a theft or an injured person to the hospital or a felony assault, which is not the same type of classification," Pemberton added.
RELATED: DC police commander under investigation for allegedly manipulating crime stats
The allegations of underreported crime trace back to 2020 when MPD Sergeant Charlotte Djossou shared internal documents from two cases with WUSA.
The first case involved an alleged assault in which a man was accused of slashing a woman's face and neck with an unknown object. While the alleged attack could have been classified as an "assault with a dangerous weapon," it was instead recorded as a "simple assault." The first offense is a felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, while the second offense is a misdemeanor, carrying a maximum sentence of six months in jail.
The second case involved an incident where a man was accused of putting a knife to the neck of his partner. This also could have been classified as a felony assault; instead, it was reported as a misdemeanor "simple assault."
The cases were not prosecuted, according to WUSA.
"It's not OK to lie to the community about what's going on around them," Djossou told the news outlet during her 2020 interview. "That's what I saw happening."
"The commanders and the captains get promoted, and they get awards, when the crime stats are low," she remarked.
Djossou filed a lawsuit against the MPD, claiming that she had faced retaliation for disclosing the alleged underreporting to her supervisors. The lawsuit was settled in June.
Djossou stated that reporters have contacted her since, but she "can't talk to them until I retire" because she is "still a sergeant with the Metropolitan Police Department."
RELATED: Fact-check: Legacy media’s bogus defense of DC’s safe-streets narrative crumbles under scrutiny
The Oversight Committee announced on August 25 that it launched an investigation into allegations of manipulated crime stats, revealing that a whistleblower had come forward.
According to the whistleblower, the manipulation was "widespread," directed by "senior MPD officials," and potentially impacts all seven patrol districts.
The Oversight Committee sent a letter to the MPD the same day, requesting information to aid its investigation, including the unredacted settlement agreement between the MPD and Djossou.
The committee has requested transcribed interviews with Pulliam and the current MPD commanders for all seven districts.
"Building on President Trump's successful efforts to restore law and order in the District of Columbia, the House Oversight Committee is carrying out its constitutional duty to oversee D.C. affairs and ensure our nation's capital is safe for all Americans," Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) told Blaze News.
"The Committee has obtained credible, alarming information that MPD leadership falsified crime data to deceptively show a decline in violent crime in the District. MPD has a duty under federal law to accurately report crime to the public, and the Committee is now taking action to investigate these allegations and ensure the safety of D.C. residents and visitors is never compromised," Comer stated.
The MPD did not respond to a request for comment from WUSA.
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Clinton appointee blocks DOJ push for Epstein transparency
A federal judge appointed by former President Bill Clinton rejected the Department of Justice's latest push for transparency surrounding the case of Jeffrey Epstein.
U.S. District Judge Richard Berman blocked the DOJ's request to unseal roughly 70 pages of grand jury transcripts and exhibits in Epstein's case, calling the motion a "diversion" tactic.
'The information contained in the Epstein grand jury transcripts pales in comparison.'
"The government is the logical party to make comprehensive disclosure to the public of the Epstein files," Berman wrote in his 14-page opinion.
"By comparison, the instant grand jury motion appears to be a 'diversion' from the breadth and scope of the Epstein files in the government's possession," Berman added. "The grand jury testimony is merely a hearsay snippet of Jeffrey Epstein's alleged conduct."
RELATED: The brutal reality Democrats can't ignore
"The information contained in the Epstein grand jury transcripts pales in comparison to the Epstein investigation information and materials in the hands of the Department of Justice," Berman wrote.
Berman's decision on Wednesday is the third instance in which a federal judge has denied similar motions made by the DOJ to unseal certain case material that pertains to Epstein. Despite the pushback from federal judges, the DOJ is expected to begin turning over roughly 100,000 pages of Epstein-related records to the House Oversight Committee on Friday.
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Berman also justified his decision to block the release of additional Epstein files in order to protect the privacy and safety of victims.
"Victims did not have sufficient notice before the government filed the instant motions to unseal," Berman wrote. "The government must ensure a proper review and redaction process in coordination with victims' counsel."
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