House Oversight subpoenas Jeffrey Epstein estate

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer on Monday issued a new subpoena to the estate of Jeffrey Epstein for “documents and communications in its possession, custody, or control in unredacted form,” which includes a copy of the alleged “birthday book” compiled for disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein’s 50th birthday.

“It is our understanding that the Estate of Jeffrey Epstein is in custody and control of documents that may further the Committee’s investigation and legislative goals. Further, it is our understanding the Estate is ready and willing to provide these documents to the Committee pursuant to a subpoena,” Comer said in a statement on Monday.

The committee requested a delivery of the documents — which includes banking and financial records — on or before Sept. 8, 2025. Comer said the panel is “reviewing” potential “mismanagement of the federal government’s investigation of Mr. Jeffrey Epstein and Ms. Ghislaine Maxwell.”

House Democrats previously requested a copy of the alleged “birthday book” compiled for Epstein’s 50th birthday in 2003 that the Wall Street Journal reported contains a “bawdy” letter from President Donald Trump.

Trump has denied the existence of the letter and filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal. ABC News has not been able to confirm the existence of the letter.

Dow Jones, the parent company of the newspaper, said in a statement that it has “full confidence in the rigor and accuracy” of its reporting and “will vigorously defend against any lawsuit.”

Epstein’s former associate Ghislaine Maxwell told a top official for the Justice Department that Epstein asked her to coordinate contributions to his 50th birthday book, but said she could not recall if Trump, then a private citizen, was among those who responded, according to a transcript of Maxwell’s interview last month with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. In that interview, Maxwell continued to profess her innocence.

Maxwell was convicted in 2021 by a federal jury on sex trafficking and other charges. She is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for aiding and participating in Epstein’s trafficking of underage girls, which involved a scheme to recruit young women and girls for massages of Epstein that turned sexual. Federal prosecutors in New York said Maxwell helped Epstein recruit, groom and ultimately abuse girls as young as 14.

Also in the subpoena are requests for documents tied to Epstein’s bank accounts, financial transactions, flight logs and calendars from Jan. 1, 1990 through Aug. 10, 2019.

Brad Edwards, an attorney who has represented more than 200 of Epstein’s victims, had previously encouraged lawmakers to subpoena the estate for the alleged birthday book. Edwards told ABC News on Monday that the estate ought to be able to swiftly comply with the requests.

“Jeffrey Epstein is dead, so, after making all redactions for victim identifying information, the estate can easily turn over all the documents requested without objection or delay. And, because of previous litigation, the vast majority of redactions should have already been made,” Edwards said.

The House Oversight Committee also announced that Alexander Acosta, the former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida and former secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor, will appear voluntarily for a transcribed interview on Sept. 19, 2025. Acosta was previously found to have exercised “poor judgement” when he resolved a federal investigation into Epstein through a state-based plea agreement in 2008, the Justice Department’s Office of Professional Responsibility concluded in a 2020 report.

Comer said the panel will allow for “written declarations” from former attorneys general Alberto Gonzelez, Eric Holder and Jeff Sessions instead of in-person interviews. The three individuals, who were subpoenaed by the committee, plan to formally declare they have no information on Epstein, according to Comer.