US Democratic politicians on Friday released documents from the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein that may show interactions between the disgraced financier and prominent conservatives, including Elon Musk, Steve Bannon and Peter Thiel.
The six pages of documents made public with redactions come from a batch provided by the justice department to the US House oversight committee, which is investigating how the sex-trafficking charges against Epstein, who died in 2019 in federal custody, were handled.
Copies of Epstein’s calendar released by the committee’s Democratic minority show a breakfast planned with Mr Bannon, an influential Donald Trump ally, in February 2019. Other schedules mention a lunch with Mr Thiel, a billionaire venture capitalist and PayPal co-founder, in November 2017 and a potential trip by Mr Musk to Epstein’s private island in December 2014.
A manifest from 2000 for Epstein’s plane includes Britain’s Prince Andrew, whose relationship with Epstein is well documented, while a financial disclosure the Democrats released shows Epstein paying someone listed as “Andrew” for “Massage, Exercise, Yoga” that same year.
Earlier this year, Mr Musk accused Mr Trump of being in the so-called “Epstein files” on social media after the tech mogul criticised the US president’s tax and spending legislation.
Then in July, Mr Musk publicly said: “How can people be expected to have faith in Trump if he won’t release the Epstein files?”
Pointing to the significance of the latest records’ release, Sara Guerrero, a spokesperson for the oversight committee, said: “It should be clear to every American that Jeffrey Epstein was friends with some of the most powerful and wealthiest men in the world. Every new document produced provides new information as we work to bring justice for the survivors and victims.”
Meanwhile, Eric Swalwell, a Democratic representative of California, wrote on X following the records’ release, saying: “Trump OUTS @elonmusk as being in Epstein Files. Revenge for Elon outing Trump? Elon, what do you know about Trump’s involvement?”
In response to the latest release, the Republican-led committee took to X and accused Democrats of selectively deciding which records to publicise.
“This is old news. It’s sad how Democrats are conveniently withholding documents that contain the names of Democratic officials. Once again they are putting politics over victims. That’s all Robert Garcia and Oversight Dems know how to do. We are releasing them all soon,” the statement said, referring to Robert Garcia, the committee’s ranking member.
Garcia, a Democrat of California, pushed back on X, writing in a separate statement: “We don’t care how wealthy or powerful you are – or if you are a Democrat or Republican. If you are in the Epstein documents and files we are going to exposé it, and bring justice for the survivors. Release ALL THE FILES NOW!”
The documents are the latest in the saga over the US government’s handling of the Epstein case.
In the House, Democrats have joined with a small group of Republicans on a petition that will force a vote on legislation to compel the release of the Epstein files. The push needs 218 signatures to succeed, which it is expected to soon get after Democrat Adelita Grijalva this week won a special election to an Arizona seat that became vacant when her father died.
However, any legislation that passes the House will also need approval by the Senate, whose Republican leaders have shown little interest in the issue. Mr Trump, who has called the furore over Epstein a “Democrat hoax” would also need to sign the Bill.
The Guardian has requested comment from Musk and Thiel. – Guardian
