A U.S. Representative wants to use the subpoena power of the powerful House Oversight and Accountability Committee to get flight logs for the late Jeffrey Epstein’s private plane.
U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., sent a letter to House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., asking that he go after the flight logs after Illinois Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin blocked a similar subpoena request in the Senate.
Epstein died in a jail cell while awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking minors in 2019. Previously released flight logs contained high-profile passengers including former President Donald Trump, former President Bill Clinton and Prince Andrew. Epstein’s plane, dubbed the Lolita Express, was allegedly used to fly underage girls to Epstein’s private Caribbean island. Epstein pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking charges before he was later found dead in his jail cell.
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn. previously sought a subpoena for Epstein’s flight logs. She said Durbin blocked the effort during a recent Judiciary Committee hearing.
Blackburn said Durbin prevented her from bringing forward her request for subpoenas, including for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor’s staff and Epstein’s flight logs.
Burchett backed his fellow lawmaker on Monday.
“We should all be concerned about the horrors of sex trafficking, especially when it involves kids,” he said.
In the letter, he wrote: “The American people have a right to know who took part in Epstein’s disgusting business that ruined so many lives. More importantly, their victims deserve justice and accountability.”
