House votes to formalize Epstein probe amid civil war over transparency efforts

The House of Representatives has taken a significant step in the ongoing investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. On Wednesday, a resolution was passed authorizing the Oversight Committee to continue its probe into the Epstein case. This resolution also allows for the release of all unclassified committee records related to the investigation, including documents from the Attorney General, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Epstein estate.

The Department of Justice’s handling of the Epstein case has been a focal point of discussion on Capitol Hill in recent days. House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer made a bold move on Tuesday by releasing 33,000 pages of Epstein-related documents to the public. These documents were the first batch sent over by the DOJ in response to a subpoena issued by Comer earlier in August.

The resolution passed by the House faced opposition from Democrats, as it was paired with a “rule vote” that traditionally falls along party lines. Despite this, the resolution was deemed approved upon passage of the rule, allowing for the investigation to move forward.

The bipartisan nature of the probe was evident during an unrelated House Oversight Committee meeting, where both Democrats and Republicans voted to compel Comer to initiate the investigation. Efforts by Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna to force a vote on a separate bill directing the DOJ to release all records on Epstein were met with resistance.

Massie and Khanna, along with Epstein’s victims, held a press conference in an attempt to garner support for their bill. They are pressuring House Republicans to sign a “discharge petition” to trigger a chamber-wide vote on the legislation.

Despite disagreements within the House, there is a shared commitment to transparency in the Epstein investigation. Former Attorney General Bill Barr has been deposed, and subpoenas have been issued to multiple individuals and entities connected to the case.

In the midst of these developments, House Republicans are working towards a resolution that will shed light on the details of the Epstein case and provide justice for his victims.

Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, covering the House of Representatives. Follow her on Twitter at @liz_elkind for the latest updates on this investigation.