US Politics
House Democrats release latest Jeffrey Epstein documents with Musk, Thiel, Bannon and Prince Andrew mentions
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Documents provided by Jeffrey Epstein’s estate to Democratic lawmakers investigating the convicted sex offender and his ties to a wider network of powerful political figures appear to show possible contact between the financier and Elon Musk and Steve Bannon.
Roughly six pages from more than 8,500 documents provided by Epstein’s estate to Democratic members on the House Oversight Committee include meeting schedules appearing to show appointments with Bannon and venture capitalist Peter Thiel during Donald Trump’s first term in office.
The documents also mention Musk joining a potential trip to Epstein’s island in 2014.
Prince Andrew also is listed in the documents as a passenger on Epstein’s aircraft, with financial disclosures provided to the committee suggesting evidence of payments from Epstein to an individual listed as “Andrew.”
The inclusion of one’s name in the documents does not indicate wrongdoing.
Included in the small batch of documents is a flight manifest from May 12, 2000 that lists Prince Andrew as a passenger with Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell flying from New Jersey to West Palm Beach, Florida.
One scheduling note from December 5, 2014 says: “Reminder: Elon Musk to island Dec. 6 (is this still happening?)”
That same email also mentions a tentative breakfast with Bill Gates.
An email sent November 27, 2017 includes an itinerary with a noon lunch appointment with Thiel that same day.
Another email sent February 14, 2019 includes an itinerary with a 7 a.m. breakfast with Bannon on February 16.
Other records provided by the committee are largely redacted financial ledgers.
The Independent has requested comment from representatives for Andrew, Bannon, Musk and Thiel.
Epstein’s alleged meetings or plans for meetings with powerful figures in Trump’s orbit are notably after Epstein’s controversial plea deal that forced him to register as a sex offender in 2007.
His appointment with Bannon in 2019 was just months before Epstein was federally charged with trafficking and sexually abusing dozens of minors. Epstein pleaded not guilty and was found dead in a jail cell in New York in August 2019.
The inclusion of Musk’s name is also notable, as the billionaire had split with Trump over the release of the files in a public fallout that exploded into allegations that Trump is participating in a cover up to prevent their release.
“It should be clear to every American that Jeffrey Epstein was friends with some of the most powerful and wealthiest men in the world,” Oversight Committee spokesperson Sara Guerrero said in a statement Friday.
“Every new document produced provides new information as we work to bring justice for the survivors and victims,” she added. “Oversight Democrats will not stop until we identify everyone complicit in Epstein’s heinous crimes.”
House Democrats have argued for the Department of Justice and Attorney General Pam Bondi to “release all the files now,” Guerrero said.
Republicans on the committee called the latest batch of files “old news.”
“It’s sad how Democrats are conveniently withholding documents that contain the names of Democratic officials” and “putting politics over victims,” according to Oversight Republicans. “We are releasing them all soon.”
The Justice Department’s attempt to draw the investigation to a close after the Trump administration pledged to release the so-called “Epstein files” has renewed scrutiny into the president’s relationship with the late financier.
The Republican-led House committee subpoenaed the Justice Department last month for records related to the criminal cases of Epstein and Maxwell, who is serving 20 years in federal prison after she was convicted in 2021 for her role in a scheme to sexually exploit and abuse minors with Epstein.
The latest batch of files follows lengthy two-day congressional hearings with FBI Director Kash Patel, whose leadership has come under fire in the wake of the bureau’s decision earlier this year that “no further disclosure” in the Epstein case “would be appropriate or warranted.”