US lawmakers launch Epstein ‘birthday ebook’ with alleged Trump observe
US lawmakers have launched copies of a “birthday ebook” given to the late convicted paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein for his fiftieth birthday in 2003, which features a observe allegedly signed by US President Donald Trump.
Together with the ebook, lawmakers additionally launched a trove of paperwork that embrace Epstein’s private tackle ebook and his will.
Legal professionals for the property despatched paperwork to the Home Oversight Committee after they had been subpoenaed final month.
The discharge got here hours after Democrats printed the alleged observe by Trump that includes a drawing of a girl’s physique. The White Home on Monday denied its authenticity and stated the president “didn’t draw this image, and he didn’t signal it.”
When the Wall Avenue Journal printed particulars of the alleged birthday observe in July, Trump stated it was “a pretend factor” and denied writing it. Pictures exhibiting the observe had not been printed till this congressional launch.
“These usually are not my phrases, not the way in which I speak. Additionally, I do not draw footage,” he stated, earlier than launching authorized motion towards the newspaper.
The president filed a lawsuit towards the Wall Avenue Journal’s reporters, writer and executives, together with Information Corp’s proprietor Rupert Murdoch, looking for $10bn (£7.4bn) in damages.
In an announcement together with the discharge of the paperwork by the Home Oversight panel, Republican committee chairman James Comer accused Democrats on the panel of “cherry-picking paperwork and politicizing info” they obtained from the property.
“Oversight Committee Republicans are centered on working an intensive investigation to convey transparency and accountability for survivors of Epstein’s heinous crimes and the American individuals,” he stated.
The recordsdata launched on Monday by the panel embrace a “birthday ebook” put collectively by Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s British co-conspirator and ex-girlfriend who was convicted in 2021 of conspiring with the late financier to site visitors women for intercourse.
The panel additionally launched Epstein’s will, a 2007 non-prosecution settlement between Epstein and federal prosecutors on the US Legal professional’s Workplace for the Southern District of Florida and virtually 30 years of entries in his private tackle ebook.
The BBC is at present wanting on the recordsdata launched by the panel.
After Democrats launched the preliminary observe on Monday, White Home Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated “President Trump’s authorized workforce will proceed to aggressively pursue litigation”.
“As I’ve stated all alongside, it is very clear President Trump didn’t draw this image, and he didn’t signal it,” Leavitt added.
The signed observe posted on X options a number of traces of textual content, with the ultimate line studying: “Completely happy Birthday – and should daily be one other great secret.”
Within the put up with the picture, the Democrats on the Oversight Committee wrote: “Trump talks a couple of ‘great secret’ the 2 of them shared. What’s he hiding? Launch the recordsdata!”
The Home Oversight Committee final month issued a authorized summons for the executors of Epstein’s property to supply various paperwork, together with a birthday ebook which comprises the observe purportedly from Trump.
The newspaper’s writer Dow Jones stated on the time it had “full confidence within the rigour and accuracy of our reporting”.
On Monday, Robert Garcia, the rating Democrat on the committee, stated: “President Trump known as the Epstein investigation a hoax and claimed that his birthday observe did not exist.
“Now we all know that Donald Trump was mendacity and is doing all the things he can to cowl up the reality.”
On X, White Home deputy chief of employees Taylor Budowich posted a number of photographs of Trump’s signature on Monday.
“Time for @newscorp to open that checkbook, it isn’t his signature. DEFAMATION!” Budowich wrote.
The Wall Avenue Journal reported in July that Epstein confederate Ghislaine Maxwell created the birthday ebook for the financier in 2003.
It contained submissions from numerous Epstein acquaintances, together with a observe allegedly bearing the identify of Trump, who was then his buddy.
Trump and Epstein had been pleasant for years, however the president has stated he fell out with him within the early 2000s after the financier poached staff from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
Epstein was first criminally indicted in 2006 in Florida on a state felony cost of solicitation of prostitution. He died in jail in 2019 whereas awaiting trial.
