The House Oversight Committee, led by Chairman James Comer (R-KY), has issued a sweeping new subpoena to the estate of Jeffrey Epstein, demanding the release of unredacted documents and communications, including the now-infamous “birthday book” reportedly compiled for Epstein’s 50th birthday.
The subpoena represents the latest escalation in the committee’s bipartisan probe into what Comer called the mismanagement of the federal government’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, and seeks records that could shed light on the powerful figures who may have been connected to Epstein’s illicit network.
“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,” Comer said in a statement. “Further, it is our understanding the Estate is ready and willing to provide these documents to the Committee pursuant to a subpoena.”
The requested documents must be delivered on or before September 8, 2025, and cover a wide array of Epstein’s private affairs, including flight logs, bank accounts and financial transactions, calendars, the alleged “birthday book,” and other records dating from January 1, 1990, through August 10, 2019.
The “Birthday Book” Controversy
Central to the request is a document that has come to symbolize the scandalous reach of Epstein’s influence: a 2003 “birthday book” reportedly filled with personal messages from celebrities, politicians, and business moguls compiled for Epstein’s 50th birthday.
Earlier this year, the Wall Street Journal claimed the book includes a “bawdy” letter from then-private citizen Donald Trump, an allegation Trump vehemently denied. In response, he filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the publication.
“There is no such letter,” Trump stated, calling the story “a total fabrication meant to smear my name.”
Dow Jones, the Journal’s parent company, responded that it has “full confidence in the rigor and accuracy of its reporting” and is “prepared to vigorously defend” itself in court.
ABC News has not independently verified the existence of the letter.
Maxwell and DOJ Testimony
In newly released testimony from Ghislaine Maxwell, conducted earlier this summer by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Maxwell admitted that she helped coordinate contributions to Epstein’s 50th birthday celebration but claimed she could not recall whether Donald Trump submitted anything.
Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year federal sentence for sex trafficking underage girls, after being convicted in 2021 of aiding Epstein’s decades-long illegal operation.
Victims’ Advocate Urges Compliance
Brad Edwards, a lawyer who has represented more than 200 of Epstein’s victims, praised the committee’s action and said the estate should quickly comply.
“Jeffrey Epstein is dead,” Edwards told ABC News. “So, after making all redactions for victim identifying information, the estate can easily turn over all the documents requested without objection or delay.”
Edwards added that previous litigation has already resulted in substantial redactions, which should simplify the process.
Acosta to Testify, Former AGs Submit Declarations
The Oversight Committee also announced that Alexander Acosta, the former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida and later Secretary of Labor under Trump, has agreed to voluntarily appear for a transcribed interview on September 19.
Acosta has come under fire for brokering Epstein’s controversial 2008 plea deal, which allowed the financier to avoid federal prosecution despite substantial evidence of trafficking.
The committee had also issued subpoenas to three former U.S. attorneys general—Alberto Gonzales, Eric Holder, and Jeff Sessions—but will now accept written declarations from them. Comer stated that the three men are expected to formally declare they had no direct involvement in Epstein-related matters.
What’s Next?
Chairman Comer has vowed to press forward with the investigation, which he says is “about transparency, accountability, and ensuring that our justice system does not favor the powerful.”
As scrutiny intensifies and political tensions grow, the Oversight Committee’s work may finally bring more clarity to the lingering questions surrounding Epstein’s high-profile connections and the systemic failures that allowed his crimes to persist for decades.
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