In their ongoing quest for accountability, House Democrats have sent a letter to the legal team representing Jeffrey Epstein’s estate. The objective of this letter is to request access to the so-called “birthday book” from Epstein’s 50th birthday, which allegedly includes tawdry messages from influential figures such as Donald Trump.
California Congressmen Ro Khanna and Robert Garcia, who are leading this effort, argue that the contents of the book could be crucial to their evaluation of the Trump administration’s response to the Epstein affair. They specifically ask for an unedited copy of the book by August 10th. Stressing the importance of transparency and justice, Khanna has criticized the Congress for its early departure without addressing his bill on releasing Epstein-related documents.
The birthday book, a compilation gathered by Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently incarcerated for her role in Epstein’s trafficking of minors, contains greetings from Epstein’s network, including Trump, Bill Clinton, and Alan Dershowitz, among others. The New York Times has already published an image of Maxwell’s dedication in the album, further complicating matters.
Trump is embroiled in a lawsuit with the Wall Street Journal, which initially reported that a page from the book contained a poem possibly authored by Trump himself and a questionable sketch. Trump denies the letter attributed to him in the book is genuine.
Khanna and Garcia’s request is based on information provided by Brad Edwards, a lawyer representing Epstein’s victims, who believes the estate would provide the book on demand. However, at the time of writing, the lawyers for Epstein’s estate had not responded to the request during the time the news was being reported.
Garcia, who is the top Democrat on the House oversight committee, emphasized the importance for the American public to understand who was involved in Epstein’s trafficking network, especially if they wield power within the government. This request comes amid a significant divide between Trump and his MAGA base, who insist on the release of Epstein files, and the Democrats, who are pressing the issue to hold the Trump administration accountable.
The now-infamous friendship between Trump and Epstein in the ’90s and early 2000s, although distanced by Trump in 2004, raises more questions about their relationship, especially with the emerging details of Epstein’s illicit activities.
Additionally, it was revealed that Pam Bondi, the U.S. Attorney General, had informed Trump that his name frequently surfaced in connection with Epstein investigation files. This prompted Trump to direct Bondi to pursue releasing grand jury transcripts related to Epstein’s case, though a judge in Florida has yet to approve that request—with a similar case ongoing in New York.
Democrats, through their letter to Epstein’s estate, highlight the significance of obtaining the birthday book not only for their ongoing scrutiny of the Department of Justice’s handling of the Epstein matter but also to understand why certain documents from Epstein’s files have been made public while others remain classified. This letter underscores a broader pursuit of accountability and transparency regarding the Epstein scandal and the involved parties within positions of power.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/25/democrats-epstein-birthday-book
