Chuck Schumer came up with a new way to force the Trump administration to release the Jeffrey Epstein files, but will the Justice Department comply?
Schumer has been mostly useless this year, but this might just have legs.
Seeking transparency on the Epstein files, Senate Democrats invoke the ‘rule of five’ www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddo...
— SubversiveGranny (@subversivegranny.bsky.social) 2025-07-30T15:55:48.958Z
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-epstein-files-schumer-senate-democrats-rule-five-rcna221954
This was a fresh approach to an existing story, though it’s likely the FBI won’t be overly eager to respond to the senator’s appeal. That said, as NBC News reported, the Democratic leader also had a related idea that’s intended to force the issue.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is leading all seven senators on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in invoking a rarely used law to request files in the Jeffrey Epstein case and have them delivered to the committee next month. In a letter sent to Attorney General Pam Bondi, the group says it is requesting the files under the law, which says an ‘Executive agency, on request of ... the Committee on [Homeland Security and] Governmental Affairs of the Senate, or any five members thereof, shall submit any information requested of it relating to any matter within the jurisdiction of the committee.’
As Capitol Hill watchers know, members of the minority party have very limited power and cannot issue subpoenas. But as The New York Times reported, there is
a rather obscure policy known as the “rule of five” that says federal agencies are required to provide relevant information if any five members of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee request it.
“
That provision — which became law in 1928 and sets a seven-member rule for the House’s oversight committee — effectively offers a way for members of the minority party to compel information from the executive branch because they cannot issue congressional subpoenas,” the Times report added.
“But it has been infrequently used, and it has not faced significant tests in court, raising questions over whether it can be enforced.”....
Nevertheless, the Senate Democrats’ letter concluded:
“Please provide these documents and information as soon as possible, but no later than August 15, 2025. Additionally, please arrange to provide a briefing to Committee staff as soon as possible, but no later than August 29, 2025.”This will be fun to watch
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