House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) warned Friday that the findings of his months-long investigation into Jeffrey Epstein could face the same public skepticism that dogged the official Warren Commission report on President John F. Kennedy’s assassination.
The House Oversight panel has spent months combing through Epstein’s emails, correspondence, financial records, and other personal materials. Investigators have reviewed more than 65,000 pages of documents, including Justice Department files, and have questioned several of Epstein’s closest associates. The committee has also subpoenaed Epstein’s estate, banking institutions, and DOJ officials involved in the original federal case.
The scope of the investigation is sweeping, covering the government’s handling of Epstein’s 2019 death inside a Manhattan federal detention center, the management of his trafficking operation, and potential misconduct by elected officials. Comer’s team has secured sworn testimony from high-profile witnesses, including Bill and Hillary Clinton, as well as executives from JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank, two institutions that handled Epstein’s finances.
Congress recently passed a bipartisan law compelling the Justice Department to release all unclassified materials tied to Epstein’s prosecution, suicide, and network of associates — legislation that President Donald Trump signed earlier this month. The new law requires DOJ to post those files online within 30 days. Despite the attempts at transparency, Comer said he is bracing for disbelief from both the press and the public.
“The Epstein saga has been buried in speculation for so long that Americans will reject any official version of events, no matter what we publish,” he said.
Comer told the Daily Mail that Democratic members of the Oversight panel are “actively working to distort the investigation” through selective leaks and misinformation.
“Democrats are shamefully trying to distort the investigation by lying about witness testimony, selectively leaking documents, and doctoring emails,” he said. “This undermines the transparency and accountability we are trying to deliver for Americans and the survivors.”
Comer acknowledged that the politically charged nature of Epstein’s case — involving powerful figures in politics, finance, and academia — has made the probe especially difficult to manage.
“I hesitated to take this on because of the conspiracy theories and the public expectations,” he said. “But we owe it to the victims and to the country to get the truth out.”
Among the committee’s findings are internal communications showing how Epstein cultivated influence through donations, access, and favors to elite circles. Investigators are also tracing money flows through his offshore accounts and property holdings in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Comer said the committee continues to pursue records from the territory’s attorney general to establish who participated in or enabled Epstein’s trafficking network.
To aid that process, the Kentucky Republican has asked female lawmakers on the Oversight Committee to meet directly with Epstein survivors to help identify potential suspects and witnesses.
“If there is no Epstein list, and the American people expect us to compose an Epstein list, if we don’t get any names from the victims, it’s going to be hard to do,” Comer said.
The committee’s work has been complicated by partisan disputes and outside speculation. Earlier this month, Democrats deceptively released excerpts from Epstein’s so-called “birthday book,” which included a sketch falsely attributed to President Trump — a move Comer’s allies denounced as a political stunt. Comer said Democrats have “weaponized fragments of the investigation” to smear Republicans while ignoring the bigger picture that the system failed Epstein’s victims.
Still, Comer insists his panel’s inquiry will continue to its conclusion. While he has not committed to a formal written report, he said such a document would likely be produced once the remaining DOJ and financial disclosures are complete.
“This investigation isn’t about politics,” Comer said. “It’s about accountability — for Epstein’s crimes and for the officials who failed to stop him. Whether people believe it or not, we’re going to tell the truth.”
