Everything we know about release of Epstein files after US Congress makes landslide political vote
Congress has voted to force the justice department to release the Epstein files
US Congress has just made a landslide political vote which could effectively force the justice department to release the Epstein files.
For months, progress on making the investigation into the late convicted pedophile and financier Jeffrey Epstein public has been notably slow.
While parts have been drip-fed through redacted files, calls to release all the information has reaching boiling point and proved a political nightmare for President Donald Trump, a former friend of the sex trafficker, though he denies any wrongdoing.
Now, the House of Representatives have just made a landmark move that could require the government to release all unclassified materials related to Epstein, who died in his jail cell while waiting trial in 2019.
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Here's everything we know about the move.
US Congress votes on Epstein files
The files related to the disgraced financier that has been in possession of the US Department of Justice (DOJ) reached a major milestone on Tuesday (November 18) as Congress voted overwhelmingly in favor of making them public.
The House of Representatives voted 427 to one in favor of the Epstein Files Transparency Act in a landmark move.
Meanwhile, the Senate has unanimously agreed it would also swiftly stamp approval on the bill, after which it falls on Trump's desk to sign into law.
What is the Epstein Files Transparency Act?
The bipartisan bill calls for the release of Epstein files in a 'searchable and downloadable format', with, crucially, a deadline.
If passed, it basically compels the justice department to make all the files public within 30 days.
What has Trump said about the bill?
In a sudden U-turn in the face of intensified calls from victims and a possible revolt from his own party members, Trump appeared to change course on releasing the files, telling Republicans in Congress on Monday to vote in favor of the bill.
In a post on Truth Social, he said 'we have nothing to hide', after it became clear Republicans were willing to break ranks against the president and House Speaker Mike Johnson by voting in favor.
The president continued to point fingers at the opposition for the handling of the files, stating Republicans had 'nothing to do with Epstein' while calling the debacle a 'Democrat problem' and a 'hoax'.
"The Democrats were Epstein's friends, all of them."
Who was against releasing the files?
Just one member of Congress voted against the bill, Clay Higgins, a Republican lawmaker from Louisiana.
Two Republicans and three Democrats also passed up the opportunity to vote.
What is in the Epstein files?
Controversy has swirled around the material held by the justice department.
At this point and in the absence of information, it's been open to speculation as to what could be held in the files, possibly including details about Epstein's co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving 20 years behind bars for her role in sex trafficking minors, or internal DOJ files, according to the BBC.
What happens now?
The Senate has already agreed to pass the measure just hours after the Congress vote.
Now, it is on its way to Trump. However, it doesn't mean the files will be immediately released, even if he does sign it.
When will the files be released?
The Attorney General could withhold or redact parts of records that contain personal information and pose an 'invasion of personal privacy' that's bot 'relevant of appropriate for public consumption', Jonathan Entin, a constitutional law professor at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio, told the BBC.
The DOJ can also withhold documents that 'jeopardise an active federal investigation or ongoing prosecution, provided that such withholding is narrowly tailored and temporary', as per the House bill, which could lead to yet more delays.
"If, in fact, this is a serious investigation, presumably the prosecutors will not want everything out there while they're sorting out whether they bring charges," Professor Entin added.
Doing so could 'create some prejudicial publicity about targets of the investigation', he said, which could spiral into litigation cases.
Trump calls for investigations
Potentially adding to the delays further, Trump has announced a DOJ investigation into prominent figures mentioned in the files.
Last week, he instructed US Attorney General Pam Bondi to open investigation into links between Epstein and former president Bill Clinton, former US treasury secretary Larry Summers and a venture capitalist credited with funding Democrats, Reid Hoffman.
The move has sparked yet more concern that the order could stall the release.
"I'm concerned that now he's opening a flurry of investigations, and I believe they may be trying to use those investigations as a predicate for not releasing the files," Representative Thomas Massie said on Tuesday.
Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has had a public fall-out with Trump over the files, also said she feared the documents could be 'tied up' in the investigation.
Topics: Jeffrey Epstein, Donald Trump, Ghislaine Maxwell, US News, Politics
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