The top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee is calling for former Attorney General Merrick Garland to testify about the Justice Department's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files during the Biden administration.
Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., the ranking member on the panel, said Tuesday that key questions remain about why more information was not released to the public.
"Why the DOJ under Merrick Garland or others weren't forthcoming in what was actually in these files, I think is an important question that has to be answered," Garcia told CNN.
Garcia said he has discussed the matter with House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., and wants testimony not only from Garland but from other former top law enforcement officials.
"I've talked to Chairman Comer. I think it's important that we hear from Merrick Garland and others and former directors of the FBI and former attorneys general. That is an important part of this investigation," he said.
"We've asked — we want to see them actually testify, I want to get answers from these officials. So we've made those requests to Chairman Comer," Garcia said.
"I believe there will be additional subpoenas and requests made in the near future."
The renewed push comes as scrutiny over the Epstein case has intensified over the past year, with lingering questions about what federal authorities knew and when. Epstein, a convicted sex offender, died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
His death was ruled a suicide, but controversy has persisted over surveillance failures and possible connections to powerful figures.
The Trump administration has also faced questions over its handling of certain Epstein-related records, given Epstein's past social interactions with high-profile individuals.
Meanwhile, Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., told Newsmax on Tuesday that the Epstein saga represents "one of the greatest cover-ups in American history."
"As a survivor, I am working and fighting very hard for other survivors," Mace said on "Bianca Across the Nation," underscoring calls from some Republicans for greater transparency and accountability.
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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