The United States House of Representatives voted on 18 November to release the case file of financier Jeffrey Epstein, who was suspected of organising sex parties with minors.
As reported by American media, this decision was supported by the majority of congressmen-427 votes to one. The only member of the House of Representatives who voted against, Louisiana Republican Clay Giggins, explained his decision by the possible threat to witnesses and family members whose names may appear in the case.
Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer urged the upper chamber of Congress to follow the House’s lead and support the release of the documents as soon as possible:
“The American people have waited a very long time for this. The majority vote in the House of Representatives is absolute. Every member of Congress voted in favour except one. This shifts attention to the Senate. As soon as the House sends us Epstein’s bill, the Senate should immediately pass it and send it to the president’s desk for his signature.”
The day before, US President Donald Trump told reporters he would sign the bill if senators passed it.
“I’m totally in favour,” he said, while calling the matter a “hoax”.
The vote was preceded by the public release of the contents of Epstein’s messages and emails, which hinted that he may have dirt on Trump.
Jeffrey Epstein was arrested in 2019 on suspicion of organising human trafficking for sex exploitation, in particular involving underage girls. According to the investigation, he provided minors to influential people, among other things. He was subsequently found dead in a pre-trial detention cell, the official version of death being suicide.
Epstein’s wife Gislein Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence on child sex trafficking charges.