Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin is demanding information from the Trump administration on convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein working with foreign governments to influence the president.
The powerful ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee launched an investigation into Epstein acting as an unregistered foreign agent in multiple countries during the president’s first term in office.
While Raskin’s probe is likely to be met with silence by the Department of Justice, State Department and U.S. Attorney’s Office as Republicans control the House, it gives a preview of the line of inquiry Democrats could pursue should they retake the majority in the midterms and hold subpoena power.
In his letter to top Trump officials, including Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton, Raskin wrote that “numerous recently released documents now show [Epstein] acted aggressively on behalf of multiple foreign governments, including several with interests adverse to the United States, in order to influence policies of the first Trump Administration.”
Raskin said there was “substantial evidence” Epstein acted to advance the government interests specifically of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Russia and Israel.
It comes as questions have been raised repeatedly by members of Congress over whether Epstein was a foreign agent or intelligence asset. Some top officials, including former Attorney General Pam Bondi, have denied any knowledge of the pedophile working as a spy.
The Maryland congressman wrote, “our examination of available evidence has already revealed damning indications of Mr. Epstein’s activities on behalf of foreign states.”
But he also noted that the Justice Department still has not released a vast number of files on the convicted sex offender.
“In addition to raising significant questions about the blocked criminal investigation into Mr. Epstein’s vast network of aiders, enablers, and co-conspirators, the systematic efforts to cover up Jeffrey Epstein’s ties to President Trump raise grave national security concerns, as underscored by recent reports that Administration officials have repeatedly gathered in the White House Situation Room to discuss the Epstein matter,” Raskin wrote.
The ranking member is now seeking all records related to Epstein and the foreign countries as well as their officials or agents from Saudi Arabia, Israel, Kuwait, Russia, Qatar, India, Maldives, Mongolia, Norway, Slovakia, Brazil, Holy See, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Senegal, and Zimbabwe.
He is also demanding records referencing or related to entities associated with Epstein that may have been set up to avoid triggering requirements to register as a foreign agent under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
“By advocating and facilitating on behalf of foreign countries without filing the mandatory disclosures, Mr. Epstein almost certainly violated FARA. His actions also create serious questions about the extent to which he wielded his ties to President Trump in dealings with foreign governments,” Raskin wrote.
The Daily Beast asked the Justice Department and State Department for comment in response to the new investigation.
Raskin also accused Jay Clayton, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, of being “instrumental in this Administration’s efforts to terminate, cover up, and block investigations into Mr. Epstein and his criminal co-conspirators.”
“Perhaps President Trump and DOJ’s leadership recognized your work at Apollo Global Management, the financial firm of Mr. Epstein’s associate Leon Black, as useful prior experience in their efforts to cover up the extent of Mr. Epstein’s network of aiders, abettors, and enablers,” Raskin wrote. “In exchange for your unswerving loyalty and all these corrupt actions to date, you have now been rewarded with a nomination to serve in a position, Director of National Intelligence, that comes with access to relevant information about Mr. Epstein’s extensive contacts with foreign adversaries—contacts which often revolve around Donald Trump.“
Raskin said Clayton’s appointment as DNI “raises serious concerns that President Trump is intent on placing loyalists wherever information about Mr. Epstein may be found, whether in the vaults of DOJ or in the sealed rooms of the intelligence community.”
The Daily Beast also asked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for comment on the probe.
