WASHINGTON — House Democrats Friday released 19 photos from Jeffrey Epstein's personal email server, showing a group of powerful people in politics, media and Hollywood in the orbit of convicted sex offenders.
The photographs, which were released without information about the time, place or context of the events depicted, do not reveal any wrongdoing or show sexual activity, but provide more details about Epstein's known connections to prominent men.
The 19 images selected and released by Democrats on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee represent a small portion of the more than 95,000 photos the committee obtained Thursday from Epstein's private estate, Rep. Robert Garcia, the committee's top Democrat, told reporters Friday.
Garcia, of Long Beach, added that releasing the images is an example of transparency and said it serves as an example of why Democrats want to continue to pressure the Trump administration to release Epstein's files before the Dec. 19 deadline mandated by a law passed by Congress in November.
“I think people should be able to judge for themselves what they see in these photographs,” Garcia said. “For us, it’s about transparency.”
Most of the images released by Democrats on Friday further illustrated Epstein's already known relationships with prominent men, many of whom have faced questions over the years about their ties to Epstein, who committed suicide in federal prison in 2019.
Some photos show Stephen K. Bannon, a former Trump adviser, meeting with Epstein in the office; tech billionaire and philanthropist Bill Gates stands outside Epstein's private jet; former President Clinton with longtime Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell; Epstein with director Woody Allen on set; and, before he became president, Donald Trump with six unidentified women.
Other images show isolated images of sex toys and, in what appears to be an attempt at racy humor, a bowl filled with what the sign describes as a “Trump condom” – packages of condoms emblazoned with a Trump caricature and the words “I'M HUGE!”
The photo released by the House committee shows former President Bill Clinton (center), Jeffrey Epstein (right) and Ghislaine Maxwell (second from right).
(House Oversight Committee)
Trump has denied any involvement or knowledge of Epstein's sex trafficking operations, but thousands of emails released last month suggested the president may have known more about Epstein's abuses than he admitted.
Epstein was a convicted sex offender and is believed to have abused more than 200 women and girls. His longtime associate Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence for her role in a sex trafficking scheme with Epstein to groom and sexually abuse underage girls.
The 95,000 photos released this week were turned over to a House committee in response to a series of subpoenas issued for records related to Epstein's estate.
Garcia said Democrats on the panel are reviewing the full set of photos and will continue to release them to the public in the coming days and weeks.
“These disturbing photos raise even more questions about Epstein and his relationships with some of the most powerful people in the world,” Garcia said. “We will not rest until the American people know the truth. The Department of Justice must release all files NOW.”
One of the images released by the House committee shows Stephen K. Bannon (left) with Jeffrey Epstein.
(House Oversight Committee)
Trump for months tried to block the release of what became widely known as the “Epstein files” but reversed course in November under growing pressure from his party.
Then the president signed legislation it requires the Justice Department to release its investigative files related to Epstein by December 19. But his past opposition has led to skepticism among some lawmakers on Capitol Hill, who question whether the Justice Department may be trying to suppress information.
“The real test will be, will the Justice Department release the files or will it remain an investigation?” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) announced this in November. .
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) told reporters Friday that if the Justice Department does not release its files by Dec. 19, it will be a crime.
“This is a new law that will have criminal consequences if it is not followed,” Massey said.
Massie said he was “encouraged” by the Justice Department's requests to release court records related to the grand jury investigations into Epstein and Maxwell. Two judges granted the requests this week.
The Kentucky Republican said the Justice Department is required to release not only the results of grand jury investigations, but also files that were not turned over to the grand jury.
“The FBI and the Department of Justice probably have evidence that they have decided not to turn over to the grand jury because the evidence they have will implicate other people than just Epstein or Maxwell,” Massey said. “We want to see facts and evidence that the FBI and DOJ never presented to the grand jury.”
