Dems accuse GOP of using sneaky tactic to block Epstein investigation

Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) speaks to reporters following the closed-door deposition of Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, on February 28, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

House Republicans have orchestrated a deliberate strategy to avoid formal hearings on the Epstein investigation by replacing them with informal roundtable discussions, according to Democrats on the House Oversight Committee.

According to Politico, the shift coincides with a spike in Democratic subpoena motions aimed at forcing testimony related to the investigation into the late Jeffrey Epstein.

Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.) inadvertently revealed the reasoning behind the shift during a March subcommittee roundtable on mental health issues.

"It's no secret why we are not doing a formal hearing today," Grothman said. "We'd like this hearing to be solely focused on the issue before you, and there is some concern that — both parties are guilty of this — that they make motions in the middle of the hearing and try to bring up unrelated topics."

The statement suggests Republicans are using roundtables — which operate without formal procedures — to prevent Democrats from raising Epstein-related questions during committee proceedings.

The last full committee hearing held by House Oversight occurred in March and addressed fraud in Minnesota. At that hearing, Republican Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina forced a vote to subpoena former Attorney General Pam Bondi for her handling of the federal Epstein investigation.

Significantly, five Republicans joined all Democrats present in voting for the subpoena motion — a sign that not all GOP members are aligned with the strategy to avoid Epstein testimony. Bondi's subsequent ouster from the Justice Department has only intensified calls for her to appear before the committee under oath.

Since March, House Oversight subcommittees have convened five roundtables this year on topics ranging from artificial intelligence to Internal Revenue Service matters. The full committee is scheduled to hold a sixth roundtable Tuesday addressing "lawfare against American agriculture."

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), while stopping short of directly criticizing the roundtable strategy, signaled her frustration with the arrangement. "I am a fan of committees that like to do the motions to subpoena," she said in an interview, suggesting some Republicans want to pursue more aggressive oversight tactics.

First Lady Melania Trump recently delivered a public statement denying she was ever victimized by Epstein and urging Congress to hold hearings with actual victims of the financier's crimes — language that could resonate with Mace and other Republicans committed to pursuing the subpoena strategy.

Committee Chair James Comer has indicated he plans to hold formal hearings featuring true Epstein victims, though the shift away from formal proceedings suggests those hearings may face scheduling challenges.

Republicans have also pursued subpoena strategies of their own, most notably forcing the depositions of Bill and Hillary Clinton in February as part of what they characterized as oversight activities.

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