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A House committee released more than 33,000 pages of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on Tuesday, marking the first installment in what lawmakers say will be a series of public disclosures aimed at increasing transparency around the high-profile case.
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee made the 33,295 pages available following a subpoena issued by Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., to the Justice Department before Congress recessed. The document release comes amid bipartisan pressure for greater public access to materials related to Epstein's criminal activities and associates.
Comer's office indicated that additional records are expected to be produced by the Justice Department as the investigation continues. The committee emphasized that proper redactions would be made to protect victims' personal information and remove other sensitive material.
The Kentucky Republican had demanded the documents from federal authorities as part of ongoing congressional oversight efforts. The massive document dump represents one of the largest public releases of government materials related to the Epstein case to date.
Epstein, a wealthy financier who cultivated relationships with powerful figures across politics, business and academia, died by suicide in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on trafficking charges. His case has continued to generate intense public interest and calls for transparency about his connections and activities.
Right-wing commentator Tucker Carlson has reignited conspiracy theories surrounding Jeffrey Epstein, suggesting the late sex offender was working for Israeli intelligence services during his years of alleged abuse and trafficking. Speaking at Turning Point USA's Student Action Summit on Friday, the former Fox News host questioned the source of Epstein's wealth and claimed he had "direct connections to a foreign government."
Carlson asked how Epstein transformed from "a math teacher without a degree" to owning "multiple airplanes, a private island, and the largest residential house in Manhattan." He asserted it was "extremely obvious" that Epstein worked on behalf of foreign intelligence, specifically naming Israel despite acknowledging that "no one's allowed to say that foreign government is Israel."
The comments drew applause from the conservative audience as Carlson claimed "every single person in Washington, DC" believes Epstein operated for the Mossad. He referenced former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak's reported meetings with Epstein between 2013 and 2017, questioning whether the financier was "running a blackmail operation on behalf of a foreign government."
The remarks come amid renewed attention on the Epstein case following the Trump administration's decision to withhold investigation records and claims that Epstein's much-discussed "client list" never existed. That decision has angered far-right personalities who contend that government officials are concealing information about Epstein's elite associates.
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