On Tuesday (Wednesday morning AEST), the Republican-controlled committee issued subpoenas for depositions involving former US President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and eight other former top law enforcement officials.

The committee’s actions indicate that interest in the Epstein files remains high, even as lawmakers are away from Washington on a monthlong break.

“Today was an important step forward in our fight for transparency regarding the Epstein files and our dedication to seeking justice for the victims,” stated Democratic Representatives Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the committee, and Summer Lee, who initiated the subpoena, in a joint statement.

“Now, we must continue putting pressure on the Department of Justice until we actually receive every document.”

Will the subpoenas be enforced?

The subpoenas require the Justice Department to provide the requested records by August 19, although such requests are often subject to negotiation and potential resistance from the Trump administration.

The committee is scheduling the former officials to appear for depositions in August, September, and October, concluding with Hillary Clinton on October 9 and Bill Clinton on October 14.

Multiple former presidents have voluntarily testified before Congress, but none has been compelled to do so.

This historical context was referenced by Trump in 2022, between his first and second terms, when he was faced with a subpoena from the House committee investigating the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot by his supporters.

Lawyers for Trump resisted the subpoena, citing decades of legal precedent they said shielded an ex-president from being ordered to appear before Congress. The committee ultimately withdrew its subpoena.

The committee had previously issued a subpoena for an interview with Maxwell, who had been serving a prison sentence in Florida for luring teenage girls to be sexually abused by Epstein but was recently transferred to a Texas facility.

However, Comer has indicated he is willing to delay that deposition until after the Supreme Court decides whether to hear an appeal to her conviction. She argues she was wrongfully prosecuted.

As the Justice Department has tried to appease demands for more disclosure, it has turned attention to Maxwell. Officials interviewed her for one-and-a-half days last month.

But Democrats stressed the importance of gaining direct access to the investigative files, rather than relying on Maxwell’s words.

“We need these files now in order to corroborate any claims she makes,” Garcia and Lee said, adding, “This fight is not over.”