Democrats invoke rare Senate rule to force release of Epstein documents

Senate Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer, plan to use the "Rule of Five" to compel the Justice Department to release more documents concerning the Jeffrey Epstein case. This move aims to capitalize on the Epstein issue, which has been politically challenging for President Trump. Schumer emphasized that this is a formal exercise of congressional power, not a symbolic gesture. The request seeks all Justice Department and FBI materials related to the case, with potential redactions to protect victim privacy. The "Rule of Five" allows five members of the Senate Homeland Security Committee to request information from federal agencies. Democrats also want the transcripts from recent interviews with Ghislaine Maxwell to be released. A recent poll indicates that a significant majority of Americans, across party lines, support the release of these documents. The senators have set a deadline of August 15th for the Justice Department's response. If their request is ignored, Democrats intend to pursue legal action.