US lawmakers vote to RELEASE trove of Epstein files with Trump's backing

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US LAWMAKERS have passed a bill to force the release of the entire trove of files related to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

There were audible celebrations from the House after the vote passed by a huge majority of 427 yays to just one nay which came from a single Republican.

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: Jeffrey Epstein appears in a photo taken for the NY Division of Criminal Justice Services' sex offender registry

The US government has now moved one step closer to released the investigative files related to financier Jeffrey EpsteinCredit: Reuters

House To Vote On Release Of Epstein Files

Epstein abuse survivor Haley Robson holds up a photo of her younger self during a news conference on the Epstein Files Transparency Act outside the US CapitolCredit: Getty

Donald Trump speaking to Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump previously said the effort to open up the Epstein files is a ‘hoax’Credit: NBC

Donald Trump had urged fellow Republicans to vote in favour of the bill after insisting he has “nothing to hide” over what is inside the investigative documents.

Trump said the time has come to bring an end to the “hoax” claims around what is inside the late financier’s documents, which he says are being peddled by the Democrats.

Today’s vote provides a further boost to the demands being placed on the Justice Department to release its case files on Epstein.

Now that the bill has passed in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, it will go to the Senate for another round of voting.

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Once it is passed in the Senate, the bill will go to Trump’s desk for his final signature.

The US president on Monday confirmed he will sign the bill calling for the release of the Epstein files when it reaches the Oval Office.

The Department of Justice will have 30 days to release the files.

However, it is expected that there will be a battle over redactions.

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Victims and families of survivors of Epstein today gathered outside the US Capitol to take part in demonstrations supporting the release of the investigative files.

Epstein pleaded guilty to a Florida state felony prostitution charge in 2008 and served 13 months in jail.

In 2019, he was charged with sex trafficking of minors. Epstein pleaded not guilty to those charges.

Trump urges Republicans to vote for release of Epstein files in shock reversal as there is ‘nothing to hide’

‘nothing to hide’

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The sex offender killed himself in a Manhattan jail while awaiting trial in 2019 on charges he sexually abused and trafficked underage girls.

Sky Roberts, the brother of one of Epstein’s most prominent victims, Virginia Giuffre, said that the US lawmakers to “stop talking and act”.

Speaking infront of the US Capitol, he said: “My sister is not a political tool for you to use. These survivors are not political tools for you to use. These are real stories, real trauma.

“We will not let Virginia’s fight be in vain together. We will not let the predators win together.”

Another of the survivor Danielle Bensky said she was recruited by Epstein in 2004 and was “trapped in a year-long cycle of abuse”.

She said Epstein threatened to “withhold care” for her mother, who was battling brain tumour.

House To Vote On Release Of Epstein Files

Amanda Roberts holds a picture of her sister-in-law of Virginia GiuffreCredit: Getty

House To Vote On Release Of Epstein Files

Virginia’s brother Sky Roberts and his wife Amanda at the Capitol on TuesdayCredit: Getty

She said: “I am calling for the American people. You have homework. Call your congressional leaders.

“Call your senators. Please support this bill. Let’s get it all released.”

Until the weekend, Trump and his staff had lobbied hard to prevent any further release of files from the criminal investigation by the US Department of Justice into Epstein.

Trump cut off his long-term ally Marjorie Taylor Greene over her “wacky” demands to release all the Epstein files.

He branded the Georgia Rep. a “lunatic” and officially withdrew his support for her – apparently after a text urging him to publish the documents.

He even said to a female reporter, “quiet, piggy” after she asked about the release of the Epstein files.

But the president is said to have grown frustrated with Republicans’ fixation on the Epstein files and wanted them to focus on the cost of living and other issues that matter more to voters, a senior White House official said.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said he believed a vote on releasing the files should help put to rest allegations that Trump had any connection to Epstein’s abuse.

Although Trump and Epstein were photographed together decades ago, the president has said the two men fell out before the sex offender’s convictions.

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Epstein said in an email he was ‘meticulous’ with recording informationCredit: AFP

Donald Trump, Melania Trump, Jeffrey Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell posing together.

Democrats released three deliberately redacted emails from Epstein mentioning TrumpCredit: Getty – Contributor

Trump promised in his election campaign to blow open the Epstein vault and release all the files – but since then, the process has been slow.

The President lived in Florida at the same time as Epstein and the two are known to have associated.

Trump has always said he cut ties with Epstein and banned him from Mar-a-Lago in the 2000s.

The Epstein furor this week was reignited when Democrats released selectively redacted emails that mentioned Trump.

Trump accused Democrats of pushing an “Epstein hoax” after emails emerged in which the disgraced financier suggested Trump “knew about the girls”.

The White House said one of Epstein’s victims who “spent hours” with Trump, insisted he never did anything wrong – alluding to Ms Giuffre.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt slammed the Democrats for the release of three emails from Epstein and how they redacted Ms Giuffre’s name.

The White House said Ms Giuffre, who the disgraced financier claimed “spent hours” with the future US president, already vowed that Trump had never done anything wrong.

Trump’s Republican Party then dumped more than 20,000 other files – including previously unseen emails.

Those documents shed new light on the extent of Epstein’s relationship with the likes of former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers, discredited author Michael Wolff, and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor – the former Prince Andrew, Duke of York.

Summers, the former president of Harvard University, said he will step back from public commitments after the release of emails showing he maintained a friendly relationship with Epstein long after the financier pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from an underage girl in 2008.

Summers said in a statement that he would step back to rebuild trust and repair relationships with the people closest to me.

“I am deeply ashamed of my actions and recognize the pain they have caused,” he said

“I take full responsibility for my misguided decision to continue communicating with Mr Epstein.”

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Summers did not detail exactly what stepping back would entail, saying he would continue to teach and promised to rebuild trust and repair relationships with the people closest to me.

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Jeffrey Epstein pictured with Ghislaine MaxwellCredit: PA

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Prince Andrew (L), with his arm around Virginia Giuffre (C) and Ghislaine Maxwell (R)Credit: Enterprise