The White House takes a distinct stance on the Jeffrey Epstein case. Friends and family of the murdered University of Idaho students express anger toward Bryan Kohberger. Additionally, “The Osbournes” revolutionized television forever.

Here’s what to know today.

White House tightens its grip on Jeffrey Epstein messaging

If the Trump administration thought the uproar over the Jeffrey Epstein files would pass, they were wrong.

The House Oversight Committee approved a vote yesterday to issue a subpoena to the Justice Department seeking the release of files related to the case, with three Republicans aligning with Democrats on the vote. Earlier, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer subpoenaed Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s cohort, for a deposition on Aug. 11 at the Federal Correctional Institution in Florida, where she is serving a 20-year sentence.

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In Florida, a federal judge rejected the Justice Department’s bid to disclose federal grand jury transcripts from 2005 and 2007 concerning an investigation into Epstein. This decision is distinct from an outstanding request from the Justice Department involving a grand jury in the Southern District of New York, which ultimately indicted Epstein.

All this comes weeks after the Justice Department said in a memo that it would not release files detailing the federal government’s investigation of Epstein, sparking uproar from critics, including Trump’s own MAGA base. The financier, who died by suicide in a New York City jail in 2019, has been the subject of right-wing conspiracy theories for years.

Trump and his Republican allies have sought to distract from the firestorm by blaming Democrats and bringing up old feuds. But Trump, who is accustomed to driving the news, is finding out there are limits to his ability to pivot away from the issue. “In the past, the [White House] could expect certain interviewers to be friendly and stay on script; that’s not guaranteed with this one,” said a Republican operative familiar with the White House’s thinking.

So, the White House is taking a more restrained approach when it comes to talking about the Epstein case. Trump signaled that he doesn’t want members of his administration discussing the matter nonstop, a person close to the White House said. And White House aides have made it clear that no one in the administration is allowed to talk about Epstein without high-level vetting, according to a senior official.

It’s a break from Trump’s usual crisis communications template, which emphasizes an all-hands-on-deck approach to defending him on television and social media.

Read the full story here.

More politics news:

• Rep. Thomas Massie, who was once alone in his feud with Trump, is finding more Republican friends and political allies as he pushes for the release of the Epstein files.

• The Supreme Court allowed Trump to fire members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, an agency set up by Congress to be independent of political pressures.

• One messaging tactic Republicans are planning to use to get voters to the polls: the threat of impeachment.

Tulsi Gabbard steps into uncharted territory

National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard leveled allegations against former President Barack Obama yesterday, claiming there is “irrefutable evidence” that he and his national security team manufactured a “false” intelligence analysis to show Russia helped Donald Trump win the 2016 election.

Gabbard also announced at the White House briefing that she has declassified a five-year-old report by Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee about the 2016 election, which took issue with findings that Russian President Vladimir Putin “aspired” to help Trump win. The report conflicts with a bipartisan Senate report from the same year that endorsed an assessment by intelligence agencies that Russia spread disinformation online and undermined Hillary Clinton’s candidacy to bolster Trump’s prospects. That report was signed off by every member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, including Trump’s current Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

It’s the first time a U.S. spy chief has leveled allegations against a former president or administration, and Democrats have dismissed the move as an attempt to distract from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. Meanwhile, Obama and former officials in his administration have called Gabbard’s allegations baseless.

Read the full story here.

Loved ones of Idaho murder victims tear into Bryan Kohberger

A judge sentenced Bryan Kohberger to life in prison without the possibility of parole in the murders of four University of Idaho students — Ethan Chapin, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Madison Mogen — whose 2022 killings rattled the town of Moscow. More specifically, Kohberger was given four consecutive life sentences, as well as 10 years for one count of burglary.

The sentence was a widely anticipated part of the plea deal in which Kohberger pleaded guilty to the murders in exchange for not going on trial and avoiding a potential death sentence.

Kohberger did not speak at yesterday’s hearing — but loved ones of the victims did in blistering and emotionally raw speeches:

→ Goncalves’ older sister, Alivea Goncalves, called Kohberger a “sociopath, psychopath, murderer” and told him, “The only thing you failed more miserably at than being a murderer is trying to be a rapper.”

→ Kernodle’s stepfather, Randy Davis, said at the end of his speech, “Go to hell,” at which point clapping erupted in the courtroom.

→ Surviving roommate Dylan Mortensen described Kohberger as “a hollow vessel, something less than human, a body without empathy, without remorse.”

→ The only talk of forgiveness came from Kernodle’s aunt, who said she chose to forgive Kohberger “because I no longer could live with that hate in my heart.”

Read the full story here.

After the Cleveland Clinic expanded to Florida, patients say surprise fees followed

When the Cleveland Clinic started acquiring hospitals and medical offices along Florida’s Treasure Coast six years ago, many residents were excited. The Ohio nonprofit, ranked among the top hospitals in the world, pledged to bring expert care and an infusion of cash to the region north of Boca Raton.

But in the years after the Cleveland Clinic’s blue and green signs popped up outside dozens of medical offices, patients began receiving unexpected bills, from an additional $95 for a consultation with a neurosurgeon, to $174 more for a neurologist appointment that previously cost only a $50 co-pay.

Baffled patients learned the new costs were “facility fees” — charges that hospitals have traditionally billed for inpatient stays and emergency room visits but are now increasingly charging for routine appointments in their outpatient clinics. The fees are meant to support the higher level of care that these doctors’ offices provide, according to hospitals.

The Cleveland Clinic is far from the only one charging facility fees, which have become pervasive in recent years as major health systems have snapped up doctors’ offices, making it harder for patients to find independent practices. For some patients who spoke to NBC News, the fees were a mere annoyance. For others, the bills were a financial burden too big to shoulder.

Read the full story here.

Related coverage:

• Does your doctor’s office charge a facility fee? Here’s what to ask your provider and what to do if you cannot afford to pay.

Read All About It

• Columbia University will pay $200 million to restore the majority of funding that was cut by the Trump administration over allegations it violated anti-discrimination laws.

• Ukrainians have taken to the streets to express their dissatisfaction with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and a new law curbing anti-corruption agencies.

• Where was William “Dub” Thomas when the July 4 floods hit Ingram, Texas? City officials are frustrated that they have yet to hear from Kerr County’s emergency management coordinator.

• Summer Covid cases are on the rise nationwide. Here’s what to know about the variant nicknamed “razor blade throat.”

Staff Pick: ‘The Osbournes’ rocked so the Kardashians could keep up

How you first became aware of Ozzy Osbourne may depend on your age. Many first knew him as the Prince of Darkness, a pioneer of heavy metal as the frontman of Black Sabbath. But if you were a teen glued to MTV in 2002, you knew him as the sweet and bumbling dad at the center of a chaotic and charming celebrity family in “The Osbournes.” When the news broke that Ozzy died this week at 76, social media flooded with footage of his theatrical performances, as well as clips of him unapologetically marveling at the assembly of a Chipotle burrito.

“The Osbournes,” the first celebrity reality show to center on a family, was an instant hit and paved the way for a slew of shows to follow. Former MTV executives and culture critics spoke to contributor Ashley Lee about the impact the show had on pop culture in just the span of three years. — Michelle Garcia, NBC BLK editorial director

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