GOP-led Epstein committee clears Trump of wrongdoing - but details government’s failings

The Republican-led House Oversight Committee released a report detailing the findings of its monthslong investigation into the government’s mishandling of criminal probes into Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.Released Tuesday, the 137-page report cleared President Donald Trump of wrongdoing, while concluding that the federal government had “failed” survivors for decades.“We conducted 19 witness interviews or depositions, subpoenaed the Department of Justice, Epstein’s estate and two major banks and reviewed financial records from the Depart of the Treasury to uncover the truth,” GOP Rep. James Comer, the committee chair, said in a video. “What we found is both heartbreaking and infuriating.”Rep. Robert Garcia, the leading Democrat on the committee, denounced the report as “based on an incomplete investigation and zero public hearings on Jeffrey Epstein.” The report was published one week after Election Day, when Democrats reclaimed control of both the House and the Senate. Here are the report’s key findings:On Tuesday, the GOP-led House Oversight Committee released a 137-page report documenting its probe into the government's investigations of Jeffrey Epstein. Pictured: Committee Chair James Comer and ranking member Robert Garcia (Getty Images)• The federal government ‘failed survivors for decades’: The committee concluded that the crimes committed by Epstein — who was charged with sex trafficking minors before his 2019 death — could have been prevented if not for “failures” by prosecutors in Florida and Washington, D.C., as well as federal investigators. Committee members specifically called attention to Epstein’s 2007 non-prosecution agreement and “systemic dysfunction” at the Bureau of Prisons on the night of his death. They also highlighted the Justice Department’s failure to “adequately communicate about document releases” following the enactment of the Epstein Files Transparency Act.•Calling out Democrats: GOP lawmakers accused Democrats of having been “obsessed” with implicating Trump in Epstein and Maxwell’s crimes. “The consensus of every witness examined before the Committee was that President Trump––to their knowledge––was not involved in any crimes committed by Epstein and Maxwell,” the report states. •DOJ must ‘take further action’: The report called on the Justice Department to interview key witnesses, investigate additional allegations and establish a process whereby survivors can access their personal files. Justice officials should also scrutinize non-prosecution agreements to ensure they do not “enable and empower criminals.”•Failure of financial institutions: The report accused major financial institutions of failing to respond to “clear indicators of human trafficking and immigration fraud.” Despite being aware of Epstein’s criminal history and identifying suspicious transactions, institutions allowed him to “use fraudulent decoy flights and refundable or dummy itineraries to transport foreign women across borders directly to his residences.”•Congress should pass legislation on NDAs: Lawmakers on the committee said that Congress should pass a bill to “prevent the weaponization of nondisclosure agreements to silence survivors of sexual abuse.” Ghislaine Maxwell with Jeffrey Epstein (US Department of Justice/PA) (US Department of Justice)The committee began investigating the government’s handling of probes into Epstein and Maxwell last year, when the Trump administration’s handling of the Epstein files sparked widespread controversy.Among the figures that have been interviewed by the committee were Bill and Hillary Clinton, Les Wexner, Howard Lutnick and Bill Gates.For months, Republicans on the committee have publicly defended Trump, claiming Democrats have mounted a witch hunt and that they’ve seen no evidence implicating the president. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Florida Republican on the committee, said in February that Bill Clinton’s testimony had “exonerated” Trump.Trump’s name appears repeatedly in the Epstein files, and the disgraced financier once said he was Trump’s “closest friend.” The president has said he cut ties with Epstein years ago and he has not been charged with a crime.Democrats, meanwhile, have accused the committee's GOP leadership of failing to conduct a thorough investigation.“You didn't hold a single public hearing,” Oversight Democrats said Tuesday in response to Comer’s report. “You didn't say anything when the DOJ withheld 2.5 million missing files. You didn't bring in [Attorney General] Todd Blanche after saying you would.”“We will not allow the President and his allies to dismiss this investigation,” they added. “We're just getting started.”