Epstein files: DOJ may have withheld FBI interviews with Trump accuser, Rep. Garcia says

The Department of Justice "appears to have illegally withheld FBI interviews" with a survivor of sex predator Jeffrey Epstein, who had also accused President Donald Trump "of heinous crimes," Rep. Robert Garcia said on Tuesday.

Garcia's statement comes on the heels of reports that FBI interviews with that accuser were not viewable on the DOJ's database of millions of files related to Epstein that were made public after a federal law was passed by Congress mandating their disclosure.

"For the last few weeks, Oversight Democrats have been investigating the FBI's handling of allegations from 2019 of sexual assault on a minor made against President Donald Trump by a survivor," Garcia, D-Calif., said in a statement.

"Yesterday, I reviewed unredacted evidence logs at the Department of Justice. Oversight Democrats can confirm that the DOJ appears to have illegally withheld FBI interviews with this survivor who accused President Trump of heinous crimes," said Garcia, who is the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee.

"Oversight Democrats will open a parallel investigation into this."

Garcia also said that because of a prior subpoena issued by the Oversight Committee, as well as the Epstein Files Transparency Act, "these records must immediately be shared with Congress and the American public."

"Covering up direct evidence of a potential assault by the President of the United States is the most serious possible crime in this White House cover up," he said.

Trump is a former friend of Epstein. The two fell out in the early 2000s.
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