The House Oversight Committee has released a batch of around 70 photos from the estate of late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. It marks the third release from a collection of over 95,000 pictures obtained from Epstein's estate. These images include controversial quotes from Nabokov's novel 'Lolita' inscribed on women's bodies, as well as heavily redacted images showing women's foreign passports.
The release coincides with an impending deadline for the Department of Justice to disclose all files related to its investigation into Epstein, due on December 19. Ranking member of the committee, Robert Garcia, remarked, 'These new images raise more questions about what exactly the Department of Justice has in its possession.'
Among the released photos are images of Epstein interacting with various well-known figures, including professor Noam Chomsky, Bill Gates standing next to a woman whose identity remains concealed, and Steve Bannon at a desk across from Epstein. The appearance of these individuals does not imply wrongdoing, as many have disputed any connection to Epstein’s illegal activities.
A statement from the Democrats on the House Oversight Committee emphasized that the Epstein estate did not provide context regarding the timings or circumstances of the images. They stated, 'Photos were selected to provide the public with transparency into a representative sample of the photos received from the estate, and to provide insights into Epstein's network and his extremely disturbing activities.'
The release includes unsettling quotes from 'Lolita' written across women's bodies, referring to the novel's themes of grooming and exploitation, with one notable quote reading, 'Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth.'
In addition, the released images feature female passports from various countries, which were linked to women that Epstein and his associates interacted with. One of the more graphic photos shows Epstein sitting at a desk surrounded by three women, with one notably touching him under his shirt.
The House Oversight Committee aims to continue its investigation into Epstein's network, asserting the importance of transparency in the face of powerful individuals connected to his legacy. The release of these images opens up discussions surrounding accountability as the DOJ approaches its deadline to release its own set of Epstein files, characterized by the potential for significant redactions.
