House Democrats seek 'birthday book' from Epstein estate
House Democrats are requesting a copy of the alleged "birthday book" compiled for disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein's 50th birthday that the Wall Street Journal reported contains a "bawdy" letter from Donald Trump.
Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and House Oversight Ranking Democrat Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., made the request in a letter Friday to representatives of Epstein's estate. While the request doesn’t carry the weight of a congressional subpoena, it comes amid continued controversy over the Trump administration's handling of files related to investigations of Epstein.
The Democratic lawmakers said they are hoping to obtain the book by Aug. 10 -- a day before the House Oversight Committee has subpoenaed long-time Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell to sit for a deposition.
“Recent public reporting indicates that the Estate of Jeffrey Epstein is in possession of a document commonly referred to as 'the birthday book,' compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell in 2003 in celebration of Mr. Epstein’s 50th birthday, which has clear relevance to this case,” the letter to Epstein’s representatives stated.
"The book is relevant for ongoing congressional oversight of the Department of Justice’s handling of the Epstein investigation and prosecution, as well as the Trump Administration’s decision to declassify and release only a handful of documents from its Epstein files while withholding others from the public," the letter stated.
A prominent lawyer who has represented hundreds of Epstein's victims said in a TV interview this week that the estate was in possession of the book.
The Democrats' letter notes that given the subpoena requesting a deposition of Maxwell, who reportedly compiled the book, the committee “should be permitted to review its contents” prior to interviewing her.
MORE: Epstein's estate has his 50th birthday book, victims' lawyer says
According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, Trump allegedly sent Epstein a letter in 2003 for his 50th birthday, which was included in a book that contained letters from numerous Epstein associates.
Trump has denied the existence of the letter and filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal. ABC News has not been able to confirm the existence of the letter.
"We have full confidence in the rigor and accuracy of our reporting, and will vigorously defend against any lawsuit," a spokesperson for Wall Street Journal owner Dow Jones said in a statement.
Maxwell, who was convicted of sex trafficking and other charges and is serving a 20-year prison sentence, spent two days this week speaking with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche with limited immunity, according to sources.
"President Trump has told us to release all credible evidence. If Ghislaine Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say," Blanche said in a statement posted on social media earlier this week explaining the reason for the visit.