Overview
- The House Oversight Committee interviewed Sarah Kellen in a closed-door session Thursday as part of its probe into how federal authorities handled investigations of Jeffrey Epstein.
- Justice Department files released earlier this year say Kellen was both a victim of Epstein’s abuse and linked to scheduling his daily massages, including instances that victims say involved minors.
- Federal prosecutors discussed charging Kellen after Epstein’s 2019 death but ultimately did not file charges, and much of the legal analysis that led to that decision remains redacted in the public record.
- Chairman Rep. James Comer has lined up additional high-profile interviews with former aides, lawyers and financiers and has told colleagues the committee plans to produce a report before the end of the year.
- Survivors and lawmakers say the interviews and documents could push for changes to prosecutorial transparency and victims’ rights, and observers will watch for public release of Kellen’s transcript and the still-redacted DOJ memos.