Senate Judiciary Committee Opens Epstein Investigation — September 2019

In September 2019, following Jeffrey Epstein’s death the prior month, the Senate Judiciary Committee announced that it was opening a formal congressional investigation into the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein case.

The Committee’s Focus

Senate Judiciary Committee members sent letters to the Department of Justice demanding documents and information related to:

• How the 2007-2008 Non-Prosecution Agreement was negotiated and approved
• Whether proper notification was given to victims as required by the Crime Victims Rights Act
• What oversight the DOJ exercised over Alexander Acosta’s handling of the prosecution
• Whether changes to DOJ policies and procedures were warranted

Bipartisan Concern

The investigation drew bipartisan support among senators who expressed concerns about whether the lenient NPA had been influenced by Epstein’s social connections and wealth.

DOJ Inspector General Investigation

Separately, the DOJ’s Office of Inspector General opened its own investigation into the handling of the NPA. The IG investigation focused on the conduct of prosecutors and FBI agents involved in the 2007-2008 proceedings.

Acosta’s Resignation

By the time the congressional investigation was announced, Alexander Acosta — who had been serving as Secretary of Labor — had already resigned from the Trump Cabinet in July 2019, under sustained pressure following Epstein’s arrest and the renewed scrutiny of the NPA.

Significance

The congressional investigation represented institutional accountability efforts that, while ultimately producing limited legislative action during the 2019-2020 period, established a record of scrutiny that set the stage for more sustained oversight hearings in subsequent years.