A subcommittee of the House Committee on Oversight voted Wednesday to subpoena the Department of Justice for files in the sex trafficking investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, after Democrats successfully goaded GOP lawmakers to defy President Donald Trump and Republican leadership to support the action.
Three Republicans on the panel voted with Democrats for the subpoena, sending it through on an 8-2 vote tally. Republican subcommittee chairman, Rep. Clay Higgins of Louisiana, said that work to draft the subpoena was beginning.
The vote came just hours before the House was scheduled to end its July work session and depart Washington for a monthlong break. House Speaker Mike Johnson has adjourned Major business in the House ahead of Congress’ August recess to avoid contentious votes on Epstein-related matters as the Trump administration faces intense public pressure to release more information about the sexual predator.