Samuel Clifford

 

This is an ongoing article.

Introduction:

 

This will be an ongoing article. It will evaluate H.R. 4405 and its transition from the House, to the Senate, to the Presidency. Then if passed will evaluate some of the major findings within these documents.

 

H.R. 4405 (Epstein Files Transparency Act):

 

Sponsor: Rep. Ro Khanna (D‑CA‑17)

 

The bill directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to release, in a searchable and downloadable format, all Department of Justice records related to Jeffrey Epstein’s investigation and prosecution. This includes:

 

-Files on Epstein’s criminal activities and associates.

-Flight logs and travel records.

-Names of individuals referenced in connection with Epstein’s prosecution, including government officials.

 

The DOJ may withhold the personal information of victims and materials that could jeopardize ongoing federal investigations.

Link to Bill: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4405

 

Speaker of the House Concerns:

 

This legislation is controversial and opposed by the Speaker of the House Mike Johnson due to the manner of how it came before the House. It was put onto the floor by a discharge petition by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY-4). The bill was stuck in the Judiciary Committee. Rep. Thomas Massie filed a discharge petition in September 2025 and by November 12, it had 218 signatures (214 Democrats + 4 Republicans). 

 

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA-4) argues that the bill:

 

1. Fails to fully protect victim privacy.

2. Could create new victims.

3. Potentially jeopardizes grand jury secrecy

4. Fails to prohibit release of child sexually abuse materials

5. Jeopardizes future federal investigations

6. Creates national security concerns.

 

Speaker Johnson does not urge republicans to not vote for this bill, but states that before, “H.R. 4405 becomes law, each of the above concerns should be addressed…” (Johnson 2).

 

The source of this document is below.

 

Johnson, Mike. Flaws with H.R. 4405. Office of the Speaker of the House, 18 Nov. 2025, https://www.speaker.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2025.11.18-Flaws-with-HR-4405.pdf.

 

Rep. Raskins argues that many of these problems are already addressed and resolved in H.R. 4405, more specifically point number one and four. The bill does address point three as it exempts materials that would violate Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 6(e), which protects grand jury secrecy. 

 

Link to House of Representatives Discussion on H.R. 4405:

https://www.youtube.com/live/Q7to2HCJLfM?si=8OOh1VeMOolQCz87

*The Bill Passed the House 427-1*

Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA-3) was the sole congressman who voted nay to passing H.R. 4405.

H. Res. 888

 

(Censuring and condemning Delegate Stacey Plaskett and removing her from the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.)

 

In November 2025, newly released documents revealed that Plaskett exchanged text messages with Jeffrey Epstein during a 2019 House Oversight hearing where Michael Cohen (Trump’s former attorney) testified. Reports suggest Epstein was watching the hearing live and texting Plaskett in real time, with some of her questions aligning with his prompts. H. Res. 888 formally censures and condemns Plaskett for her conduct. The resolution also directs that she be removed from the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

 

*Failed to Pass*

 

Senate

*H.R. 4405 passed by Unanimous Consent on November 18, 2025*

 

President

 

*Signed into law by President Donald J. Trump on November 19, 2025*

 

How Long Will It Take For The Files to Be Released?

 

H.R. 4405 gives a deadline for the release of the Epstein Files. The Attorney General has 30 days from the date of enactment to make the unclassified records publicly available and 15 days after that to submit a report to Congress on the release and any redactions. 

December 5, 2025 Update:

 

On December 5, 2025 a federal judge in Florida ordered the unsealing of grand jury transcripts that are tied  to Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal investigations. The decision follows the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act that was signed into law by President Trump. Judge Rodney Smith granted the DOJ’s request to release the transcripts, which stem from federal grand jury proceedings in Florida during the mid-2000s. These records are expected to provide new insight into how prosecutors handled Epstein’s case, including why he avoided more serious federal charges despite extensive evidence of abuse. The ruling represents a significant step toward public accountability in one of the most controversial plea deals in modern U.S. history.

 

The unsealing is part of a broader mandate requiring the DOJ and FBI to publish thousands of pages of Epstein-related files by December 19, 2025. These include FBI reports, victim testimony, and prosecutorial notes, which together may shed light on Epstein’s network and the government’s decision-making process. Legal experts note that overriding grand jury secrecy is highly unusual, underscoring the level of public interest and congressional pressure surrounding the case. Critics have long argued that Epstein’s 2007 plea deal in Florida was far too lenient, allowing him to avoid federal prosecution and serve minimal jail time despite dozens of allegations. The newly released transcripts could reveal whether prosecutors faced internal or external pressures in reaching that outcome, and whether key evidence was overlooked or suppressed. As the documents continue to be published, they are expected to fuel renewed scrutiny of Epstein’s connections and the justice system’s handling of his crimes.

 

December 19, 2025 Update:

 

The Department of Justice began releasing the long‑awaited Epstein files today, December 19, 2025, under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. While thousands of pages have been made public, officials admitted they did not meet the full congressional deadline, with more documents expected in the coming weeks. 

 

Revealed in the documents so far:

December 23, 2025 Update:

 

December 23 marks one of the largest batches of Epstein-related material released to date, adding more than 11,000 files and nearly 30,000 pages to the public record. The documents expand the scope of what is known about Epstein’s network, his associates, and the investigations surrounding him. They include photographs, court filings, FBI and DOJ records, emails, news clippings, and video evidence, all now accessible through the Justice Department’s website.

 

Among the most striking revelations are email exchanges between Ghislaine Maxwell and a man referred to as “A” or “The Invisible Man” in early 2002. The correspondence centers on plans for a trip to Peru, with repeated references to “girls.” While Maxwell herself did not travel, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor—formerly Prince Andrew—was in Peru on an official visit in March of that year. Photographs from the trip show him posing with firefighters in Lima. The emails reveal “A” discussing sightseeing options, including a visit to the Nazca Lines, while leaving arrangements regarding “girls” to Maxwell and a local handler. Maxwell’s follow-up messages emphasize discretion, noting that Andrew wanted no publicity about whom he met or what he did during the trip.

 

Further records include a 2021 subpoena directed at the Mar-a-Lago Club, demanding employment records tied to a redacted individual as part of the Maxwell investigation. The identity of the person remains unclear. In addition, the files feature images of an expired Austrian passport bearing Epstein’s photo but under the name “Marius Robert Fortelni,” with Saudi Arabia listed as his residence. (Image 10).