A major congressional effort is underway to obtain testimony from a wide array of high-profile former government officials about their ties to Jeffrey Epstein and their roles in institutional responses to his case. The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, led by Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.), has issued deposition subpoenas to several former U.S. Attorneys General — Merrick Garland, Loretta Lynch, Eric Holder, Jeff Sessions, Alberto Gonzales, and William Barr — as well as to former FBI Directors James Comey and Robert Mueller. These moves reflect a desire to unearth how Epstein’s investigations were handled over decades, assessing institutional decisions made across multiple administrations.
The committee has also subpoenaed Bill and Hillary Clinton to testify in connection with Epstein. According to the Oversight Committee’s release, the subpoenas are tied to a broader call for transparency: the committee is demanding both personal depositions and internal DOJ records related to Epstein’s case. The inclusion of such politically heavyweight figures signals the scope and seriousness of the probe, suggesting that lawmakers believe key individuals may hold critical information about Epstein’s network and how federal officials responded.
One notable development is the withdrawal of the subpoena issued to Robert Mueller. According to statements, Mueller’s health — specifically a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease — was cited as the reason for retracting the request for his deposition. This move illustrates the tension between aggressive oversight and practical constraints: while the committee initially viewed Mueller’s firsthand institutional knowledge as valuable, it also had to acknowledge legitimate health barriers to his participation.
Of the many former officials subpoenaed, only Bill Barr, who was Attorney General during Epstein’s final months, has already testified. Barr’s testimony is especially consequential because his tenure overlapped with Epstein’s 2019 arrest, his indictment on federal charges, and his death in custody just weeks later. As someone who was in a position of authority during that critical period, Barr’s account is central to reconstructing decision-making within the Justice Department and the Bureau of Prisons, especially around protocol failures or unheeded risks.
In addition to depositions, the committee is demanding documentary evidence: they have subpoenaed the U.S. Department of Justice for all files related to Epstein. According to Oversight Committee communications, the DOJ has already produced tens of thousands of pages of records. At the same time, the committee is coordinating with other oversight efforts, including calls for the release of suspicious-activity reports (SARs) from the Treasury Department, which may shed light on Epstein’s financial network.
Overall, this sweeping inquiry by the House Oversight Committee underscores the enduring public and political demand for accountability around Epstein’s case. By targeting officials from different administrations and spanning multiple legal departments, Congress is signaling that it seeks a full accounting of how Epstein was monitored, investigated, and potentially aided or overlooked. As depositions proceed and documents are reviewed, the committee’s work may clarify long-standing uncertainties about federal institutional failures — or at least provide a more detailed public record of what key figures knew and when.
