Ranking Member Robert Garcia Statement on the Epstein Files, Ghislaine Maxwell Subpoena, and GOP Cover-Up
Washington, D.C.– Today, Ranking Member Robert Garcia released the following statement in response to the decision made by House Republicans to end Congress early and flee Washington, D.C., rather than vote to release the Epstein files. This comes after the House Oversight Committee voted to subpoena Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein’s confidante, for information regarding the files.
“Let’s be clear: Donald Trump is doing everything he can to stop the release of the Epstein files. And now Mike Johnson and Republicans in Congress are betraying their base and joining the cover up.
The reversal from Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Speaker Johnson is shocking and disturbing, especially in light of the well-documented personal ties between Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein.
Oversight Democrats are united in fighting for transparency. We unanimously supported a motion to subpoena Ghislaine Maxwell, and we want to hear her testimony as soon as possible. But this step is not enough. Ghislaine Maxwell is a convicted sex-trafficker who has already been charged with lying under oath, and will be subject to pressure from the Department of Justice and the President. Her claims cannot be trusted or corroborated without documents and records, which must be provided to Congress immediately. Only the release of the full files of the Epstein case can provide the transparency we need.
Our only priority must be truth, accuracy, and accountability, regardless of what the Epstein records reveal or who is implicated. President Trump’s desperate attempts to distract the American people from this crisis raise serious questions about what he is working so hard to hide.
Democrats are focused on the American people: lowering prices, protecting health care, and supporting working families, while also working to end government corruption.
As Donald Trump continues to sell out every promise to protect himself and his interests, we will not be silent until all the facts are public and the Epstein files have been released.”
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