House Republicans officially subpoena Epstein's partner in crime
While Democrats continue to feign outrage over President Donald Trump's handling of the Epstein files, House Republicans are taking action.
House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) officially subpoenaed Ghislaine Maxwell, who co-conspired with Jeffrey Epstein to sexually abuse minors. Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison in June 2022 and is working alongside the Department of Justice to facilitate the deposition at the Federal Correctional Institution Tallahassee on August 11.
'Transparency is the way that we disinfect.'
Although the Trump administration has tried to turn the page on the Epstein saga, House Republicans have been vocal in their pursuit for transparency.
Republican Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee told Blaze News that he would "absolutely" want to see Maxwell testify before Congress.
"Heck yeah," Burchett told Blaze News. "Get her up there. Let's talk."
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"Get her up there. Let's talk." - @RepTimBurchett says he's in favor of bringing Ghislaine Maxwell in front of Congress to testify
BLAZE NEWS: THE MANDATEhttps://t.co/XmGOiEUrPH pic.twitter.com/eFH9osylif
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) July 23, 2025
"Transparency is the way that we disinfect Washington, D.C.," Republican Rep. Mike Haridopolos of Florida told Blaze News.
Other members, like Republican Rep. Mark Harris of North Carolina, cautioned that Maxwell's testimony might be unreliable while she continues to appeal her case.
"I don't know what kind of witness she's going to be and how reliable even what she's going to tell you is," Harris told Blaze News. "If it's going to involve cutting a deal or something like that, I don't know. ... But no question, the information she would have and the insights that she would have would be very valuable and interesting for the American people to hear."
RELATED: Charlie Kirk outlines '10 immediate credible action items' Pam Bondi can take on Epstein case
As Maxwell's legal team continues to appeal her case, the DOJ has also been speaking with her legal counsel to meet with Epstein's convicted co-conspirator.
"This Department of Justice does not shy away from uncomfortable truths, nor from the responsibility to pursue justice wherever the facts may lead," Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement Tuesday.
"President Trump has told us to release all credible evidence," Blanche added. "If Ghislaine Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say. Therefore, at the direction of Attorney General Bondi, I have communicated with counsel for Ms. Maxwell to determine whether she would be willing to speak with prosecutors from the Department."
"I anticipate meeting with Ms. Maxwell in the coming days. Until now, no administration on behalf of the Department had inquired about her willingness to meet with the government. That changes now."
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Rogue judges voted to replace Trump-chosen US attorney Alina Habba. DOJ fights fire with fire.
Democrats long campaigned against President Donald Trump's choice for U.S attorney in New Jersey, Alina Habba. On Tuesday, U.S. district court judges proved once again willing to give the president's opponents what they want, swapping out the president's choice for her subordinate.
The Justice Department has, however, cut that victory short.
How it started
Trump named Habba, his presidential counselor, as the interim U.S. attorney for New Jersey on March 24. She was sworn in on March 28.
Trump noted on Truth Social at the time that Habba, who represented him in three trials in recent years, "will lead with the same diligence and conviction that has defined her career, and she will fight tirelessly to secure a Legal System that is both 'Fair and Just' for the wonderful people of New Jersey."
The White House announced on July 1 that the president was nominating Habba for a full four-year term.
Democrats — New Jersey Sens. Cory Booker and Andy Kim in particular — condemned Habba's appointment and campaigned against her Senate confirmation, which will come down to the wire this week.
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Since interim U.S. attorneys are allowed to serve for only 120 days if not confirmed by the Senate or extended indefinitely by the district court for the district concerned, Habba needed winning votes both in the Senate Judiciary Committee, then on the Senate floor before the expiry of her term on Friday.
However, federal judges in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey — 15 out of the 17 of whom are Obama and Biden appointees — declined to appoint Habba on Tuesday without offering any explanation.
With days left until the expiration of Habba's term, a panel of the blue state's judges issued an order — signed by George W. Bush appointee Renée Marie Bumb, the chief judge for the district — appointing one of Habba's subordinates, Desiree Leigh Grace, as the U.S. attorney for the district until the vacancy is filled.
'When judges act like activists, they undermine confidence in our justice system.'
The order went out just days after House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) demanded that the Democrat-appointed judges reject Habba. Jeffries made clear when making his demand that his animus against Habba had much to do with her indictment of LaMonica McIver, the Democratic congresswoman from New Jersey accused of assaulting a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer.
How it's going
The Trump DOJ blasted the judges' move and responded with another personnel change.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who over the weekend emphasized that Habba "has the full confidence" of Trump and the DOJ, stated on Tuesday, "The district court judges in NJ are trying to force out [Habba] before her term expires at 11:59 p.m. Friday. Their rush reveals what this was always about: a left-wing agenda, not the rule of law."
RELATED: DOJ reaches out to one major Epstein witness everyone's been afraid to talk to
"When judges act like activists, they undermine confidence in our justice system," continued Blanche. "Alina is President Trump’s choice to lead — and no partisan bench can override that."
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Tuesday evening that Habba's replacement, Grace, had been removed, noting that "this Department of Justice does not tolerate rogue judges — especially when they threaten the President's core Article II powers."
'President Trump has full confidence in Alina Habba.'
Blanche suggested that the district judges in New Jersey colluded with Democratic senators but that their apparent plot "won't work."
"Pursuant to the president's authority, we have removed that deputy, effective immediately," said Blanche. "This backroom vote will not override the authority of the chief executive."
Of course, Democrats were apoplectic about the Trump administration's decision to fight fire with fire.
"Trump's Department of Justice is once again criticizing a court that acted within its authority, continuing a pattern of publicly undermining judicial decisions and showing disregard for the rule of law and the separation of powers," Booker and Kim complained in a joint statement. "The firing of a career public servant, lawfully appointed by the court, is another blatant attempt to intimidate anyone that doesn’t agree with them and undermine judicial independence."
White House deputy press secretary Harrison Fields said in a statement to Blaze News, "President Trump has full confidence in Alina Habba, whose work as acting U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey has made the Garden State and the nation safer. The Trump administration looks forward to her final confirmation in the U.S. Senate and will work tirelessly to ensure the people of New Jersey are well represented."
Blaze News has reached out to the DOJ for comment.
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Federal prosecutors ditch jobs in a huff, refuse to admit wrongdoing in 'flawed' Eric Adams case
Three federal prosecutors with the Southern District of New York resigned in protest on Tuesday. Celia Cohen, Andrew Rohrbach, and Derek Wikstrom quit after accusing the Trump administration's Department of Justice of pressuring them to admit "wrongdoing" in the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D), who pleaded not guilty.
The three prosecutors had been placed on administrative leave after Trump's DOJ requested the case's dismissal.
'Any suggestion to the contrary by anybody, especially former federal prosecutors, is wrong and disingenuous.'
According to an email obtained by the New York Times, the prosecutors claimed that DOJ Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that to be reinstated, they "must express regret and admit some wrongdoing by the office in connection with the refusal to move to dismiss the case."
They wrote, "We will not confess wrongdoing when there was none."
The prosecutors claimed that the DOJ under the Trump administration "has decided that obedience supersedes all else, requiring us to abdicate our legal and ethical obligations in favor of directions from Washington."
"There is no greater privilege than to work for an institution whose mandate is to do the right thing, the right way, for the right reasons," the prosecutors continued. "We will not abandon this principle to keep our jobs."
"We resign," they declared.
Jay Clayton, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the SDNY, took over the same day the prosecutors resigned.
Since Trump's DOJ pushed for the dismissal of the case against Adams in February, five SDNY prosecutors have resigned, including the lead prosecutor assigned to the case.
U.S. District Judge Dale Ho dropped the case with prejudice on April 2.
"To be clear, the Court again emphasizes that it does not express any opinion as to the merits of the case or whether the prosecution of Mayor Adams 'should' move forward," he wrote.
"The Court notes only that it has no authority to require that it continue," Ho continued. "Ultimately, because the decision to discontinue a prosecution belongs primarily to a political branch of government, it is the public's judgment, and not this Court's, that truly matters."
However, he claimed the DOJ's request to dismiss the case "smacks of a bargain" between Adams and the Trump administration. Both parties have denied the allegations.
Blanche stated that there "was nothing 'illegal' or 'unethical'" about the DOJ's decision to drop the "flawed" case.
"Any suggestion to the contrary by anybody, especially former federal prosecutors, is wrong and disingenuous," he contended.
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Trump's new lawyers move to appeal New York criminal conviction over 'misuse' of law
President Donald Trump secured a new legal team as he moves to appeal the New York criminal conviction where a jury found him guilty of all 34 counts of falsifying business records.
Earlier this month, Judge Juan Merchan sentenced Trump to an "unconditional discharge," meaning the president would not face jail time, fines, or probation supervision. While the sentencing did not interfere with Trump's ability to return to the White House for his second term, it officially solidified his felony convictions and, in doing so, allowed the appeal process to begin.
'The misuse of the criminal law by the Manhattan DA to target President Trump sets a dangerous precedent.'
During his sentencing, Trump called the case a "setback for New York" and its court system.
"It was done to damage my reputation so I would lose the election, and obviously that didn't work," Trump stated.
"I got indicted over calling a legal expense a legal expense," he continued. "I just want to say I think it's an embarrassment to New York."
Trump's new legal team, led by Robert Giuffra with Sullivan & Cromwell, filed a notice to appeal on Tuesday, formally starting the process.
Giuffra and several other Sullivan & Cromwell attorneys — James McDonald, Morgan Ratner, Jeff Wall, and Matthew Schwartz — are expected to submit a legal brief in the coming months to make the case for an appeal of the convictions.
Trump was previously represented by attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove in the New York case that accused him of hiding hush-money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
Since Trump's November presidential election victory, Bove has become the acting deputy attorney general for the Department of Justice. Trump nominated Blanche as deputy attorney general. He is currently awaiting confirmation.
Giuffra stated, "President Donald J. Trump's appeal is important for the rule of law, New York's reputation as a global business, financial, and legal center, as well as for the presidency and all public officials."
"The misuse of the criminal law by the Manhattan DA to target President Trump sets a dangerous precedent, and we look forward to the case being dismissed on appeal," he continued.
The appeal will first be heard in New York's Appellate Division court and then move to the state's highest court, the State Court of Appeals in Albany.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg will have an opportunity to respond to Trump's argument for the appeal.
Bragg's office did not respond to a request for comment from The Hill.
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Judge accuses Trump's DOJ picks of 'dangerous' and 'chilling' rhetoric in New York case
Judge Juan Merchan accused two of President-elect Donald Trump's picks for the Department of Justice of engaging in "dangerous" and "chilling" rhetoric in the New York criminal case.
Trump was represented by attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove in the case where he was found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records.
'President Trump will continue fighting against these hoaxes until they are all dead.'
In November, Trump nominated Blanche as his incoming deputy attorney general and Bove as his principal associate deputy attorney general.
Merchan issued a Friday ruling announcing that Trump would face sentencing on January 10, just days before his inauguration. The sentencing date was initially scheduled for last July but was repeatedly delayed due to the Supreme Court's ruling on presidential immunity and Trump's November election victory.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office requested that the case be put on ice until after the completion of Trump's presidency.
Merchan stated in his Friday decision that sentencing Trump after his term would be "less desirable than imposing sentence prior to January 20, 2025."
"The reasons are obvious. However, if the Court is unable to impose sentence before Defendant takes his oath of office, then this may become the only viable option," Merchan wrote.
He indicated that Trump is unlikely to face jail time or other legal consequences in the case.
The judge accused the defense team of coming "dangerously close to crossing the line of zealous representation and the professional advocacy one would expect from members of the bar."
"Now, however, counsel has resorted to language, indeed rhetoric, that has no place in legal pleadings," he continued.
Merchan cited the defense's attempts to dismiss the case by accusing Bragg's prosecution and the court of "engaging in 'unlawful' and 'unconstitutional' conduct."
"Those words, by definition, mean 'criminally punishable,'" Merchan wrote.
He argued that such terms "have the potential to create a chilling effect on the Third Branch of government."
"Dangerous rhetoric is not a welcome form of argument and will have no impact on how the Court renders this or any other Decision," Merchan declared.
In response to Merchan's ruling, White House communications director nominee Steven Cheung stated, "Today's order by the deeply conflicted, Acting Justice Merchan in the Manhattan DA Witch Hunt is a direct violation of the Supreme Court's Immunity decision and other longstanding jurisprudence."
"This lawless case should have never been brought, and the Constitution demands that it be immediately dismissed," Cheung continued. "President Trump must be allowed to continue the Presidential Transition process and to execute the vital duties of the presidency, unobstructed by the remains of this or any remnants of the Witch Hunts. There should be no sentencing, and President Trump will continue fighting against these hoaxes until they are all dead."
On Monday, Blanche and Bove responded to Merchan's ruling by requesting the court delay the January 10 sentencing date, Reuters reported.
According to a court filing, the defense team stated they plan to appeal the judge's decision to reject Trump's request to dismiss the case.
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