TRANSCRIPT: Leader Schumer Remarks At Press Conference Joining Senate Democrats On The Homeland Security And Governmental Affairs Committee In Invoking Congressional Authority To Compel The DOJ To Release The Full And Complete Epstein Files

Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke at a press conference after invoking a Congressional authority called the “Rule of Five,” alongside all Democrats on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which compels the Department of Justice and FBI to release the complete and total Epstein files. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

This morning, I was really proud to join every single one of my Democratic colleagues on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in invoking a century-old and little-known law known as the “Rule of Five" to compel the Department of Justice to release the full and complete Epstein files. Under federal law, when any five senators on the Homeland Security Committee call on the executive branch, the executive branch must comply. Our request covers all documents, files, evidence, and other materials in possession of the DOJ, the FBI, related to the case of United States vs Jeffrey Epstein. While protecting the victims' identities can and must be of top importance, the public has a right to know who enabled, knew of, or participated in one of the most heinous sex trafficking operations in history.

Let me remind everyone of what’s happened in recent months. Donald Trump campaigned on releasing the Epstein files. He broke that promise. In January, FBI Director Kash Patel promised during sworn testimony in his confirmation hearing he would, “make sure the American public knows the full weight of what happened.” Well, that has yet to happen. AG Bondi said in February that a supposed “client list,” she said, was sitting on her desk right now to review. And she said that has been a directive by President Trump. Five months later, we have zero answers, only more questions. What have we gotten since? Stonewalled, evasion, lies. Trump was asked earlier this month if he had ever been informed whether or not he was mentioned in the Epstein files, and now we know he lied. He said no, but in fact, he was told by the Attorney General in May that he was mentioned. And when the House had an opportunity to take votes on the Epstein files, Speaker Johnson skedaddled out of town, launching the “Epstein Recess.”

This is not complicated. After promising full transparency for years, every single time Trump, his administration, Republican leaders have had a chance to be transparent about the Epstein files, they have chosen to hide. The evasions, the delays, the excuses, they are not just odd, they are alarming. It begs the question, if there is nothing to hide, why all the evasiveness? Trump should stop hiding from the truth. He should stop hiding from the American people.

So today, Senate Democrats took action. We are invoking federal law and using our authority as a check on the executive to compel transparency. That’s why today's letter matters. It's not a stunt. It's not symbolic. It's a formal exercise of congressional power under federal law. And we expect an answer from DOJ by August the 15th.

That's what accountability looks like. This is what oversight looks like. And this is what keeping your promises to the American people look like. I urge my Republican colleagues in the Senate, if you believe in transparency, if you believe Congress has a role to play in checking the executive, join us. Join us in calling for more transparency on the Epstein files. Because once there is transparency, the truth emerges. Because once we get the truth, we can have accountability, we can move forward, not just on this, but on many issues affecting the American people: protecting health care, growing the middle class, defending democracy. But none of that is possible if the public loses faith that justice only applies to some, not all.

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