House Republicans Just Released the 'Missing Minute' of Epstein Surveillance Footage |WATCH
House Republicans have released over 33,000 pages of Jeffrey Epstein documents, including surveillance footage that fills a previously controversial one-minute gap from the night of his death, though lawmakers from both parties say the trove contains little new information.
House Oversight Chairman James Comer led the release of more than 33,000 pages of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein on Tuesday night, a move that came just hours after lawmakers met with six of Epstein's victims. The extensive trove includes court filings, audio recordings, emails, and police body camera footage from searches of the disgraced financier's Palm Beach home. Several clips from 2006 feature interviews with Epstein's victims, their faces and names concealed, as they recount the abuse they suffered during massage appointments.
One of the most significant items released was surveillance video that addresses long-standing questions about the Justice Department's handling of evidence. The footage spans 13 hours and 41 seconds from the night of August 9-10, 2019, when Epstein died. This material includes the so-called "missing minute", a 60-second gap that had fueled various conspiracy theories about Epstein's death, which was officially ruled a suicide. Former Attorney General Pam Bondi had previously dismissed the gap as a "technical glitch," explaining that the prison's video system would reset nightly, causing the same minute to vanish every day.
However, digital forensics experts had previously raised serious questions about the DOJ’s initial video release. A technical analysis by WIRED magazine found that the supposedly "raw" footage was actually a composite of multiple clips created with Adobe Premiere Pro editing software, with nearly three minutes of material cut from the original source files. Despite this, the report acknowledged the changes could be a result of standard technical processes like MP4 conversion or multi-file storage.
Pressure to release the Epstein files has been mounting since July, when the Department of Justice announced it had found no evidence of a "client list" or blackmail material involving Epstein's high-profile associates. However, both Republican and Democratic lawmakers quickly conceded that the newly released documents offered little new information. "As far as I can see, there’s nothing new in the documents," Comer told NBC News.
Top committee Democrat Robert Garcia was even more dismissive. In a statement, he noted that "97% of the documents received from the Department of Justice were already public." Garcia added, "To the American people, don't let this fool you. There is no mention of any client list or anything that improves transparency or justice for victims."
In a related development, House Republicans have also subpoenaed Epstein's estate for additional records, including a "birthday book" reportedly compiled by convicted accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. Comer has also scheduled depositions for this fall with high-profile figures, including Bill and Hillary Clinton, former FBI Directors James Comey and Robert Mueller, and other former officials.