House panel calls on Justice Department to reopen Epstein investigation

By Susan Ferrechio - The Washington Times - Tuesday, November 10, 2026

A House panel conducting a monthslong investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking ring released a final report Tuesday accusing the federal government of mishandling the case and calling on the Justice Department to open sexual assault investigations into some Epstein associates.

“The evidence we uncovered makes clear that the Department of Justice must interview or re-interview key witnesses, investigate Epstein associates accused of criminal activity, and ensure survivors have access to their records,” Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer said.

The House panel’s report includes the depositions and transcripts of 20 witnesses, among them former President Bill Clinton, who flew aboard Epstein’s private jet and is pictured alongside some of Epstein’s victims in photos uncovered in the Epstein files. He has said he had no knowledge of the crimes.

People were interested in these podcasts

Mr. Comer said the committee’s probe was affected by Democrats on the panel “obsessed with trying to implicate President Trump,” but the committee’s investigation never identified any documents or heard any witness testimony showing Mr. Trump’s involvement in Epstein’s crimes.

The committee called on the Justice Department to further investigate sexual assault allegations made by longtime Epstein assistant Sarah Kellen against former Miami Beach Mayor Phillip Levine and French celebrity hairstylist Frederic Fekkai.

The panel also urged the department to “further question and investigate” another Epstein assistant, Lesley Groff, about her knowledge and role in procuring women and underage girls for Epstein.

Epstein committed suicide in a New York City jail in 2019 as he awaited federal prosecution on sex trafficking charges.

The committee found understaffing at the jail and “systemic dysfunction” resulted in corrections officers missing a dozen rounds and three inmate counts the night of Epstein’s death, which left Epstein without adequate supervision for eight hours.

The committee also blamed financial institutions, which it found “possessed substantial information about Epstein’s criminal history,” and identified transactions that posed compliance risks. They failed to report them until years after Epstein’s 2019 arrest, “due to Epstein’s personal connections, wealth and influence.”