Republicans accused of 'the largest government cover-up in modern history'

Over the past year, Democratic lawmakers and even a few of their Republican colleagues have struggled to use what legal tools were available to them to get to the bottom of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. But lately, the Republican chair of the House Oversight Committee has reduced their options, leveraging a tactic that some say amounts to “the largest government cover-up in modern history.”

During typical House Oversight Committee hearings, members of Congress can make motions and call for votes to subpoena individuals in any matter regardless of what a particular hearing happens to be on. For months now, representatives from both parties with an interest in the Epstein case have taken advantage of this to push for subpoenas for high-profile figures who may have relevant information, which is how a vote was held to force the release of the Epstein files in the first place.

But now, according to Politico, Committee chair James Comer (R-KY) has begun holding “roundtables” rather than hearings, which don’t permit representatives to make motions unrelated to the business at hand. As a result, Republicans “are avoiding the only forum where Democrats can force votes, demand documents, and hold the majority accountable.”

This situation has “frustrated” Democratic representatives dedicated to investigating the Epstein case, says Robert Garcia (D-CA), who explained, “We have important investigative work, and they want to do this right as we are in the middle of this single, largest government cover-up in the modern history of the Congress.”

Republicans have noticed the change too.

“It’s no secret why we are not doing a formal hearing today,” said Representative Glenn Grothman (R-WI) during a recent roundtable on mental health. “We’d like this hearing to be solely focused on the issue before you, and there is some concern that — both parties are guilty of this — that they make motions in the middle of the hearing and try to bring up unrelated topics.”

In the case of Committee Democrats (with the support of a few Republicans), that has meant subpoenaing the likes of former Attorney General Pam Bondi, while Republicans have forced the depositions of Bill and Hillary Clinton. Now with hearings being replaced by roundtables, however, such subpoenas have become less frequent and likely.

Even some Republicans are expressing criticism at the change. Representative Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), for example, said, “I am a fan of committees that like to do the motions to subpoena.”

“They want to neuter the Oversight Committee,” said Garcia. “Give me a break.”

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