Senate Democrats Invoke 'Rule of Five' To Seek Epstein File Release

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Senate Democrats are invoking a nearly century-old law known as the “Rule of Five” to compel the Justice Department to release all documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein case. This law allows five minority members on the Senate Homeland Security Committee to demand records from the executive branch, and Democrats have formally requested these files from Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has so far refused to comply. Schumer emphasized that the request is a serious exercise of congressional power aimed at transparency, not a political stunt, and hopes Republicans will join the effort. Meanwhile, Senator Mark Warner is pushing the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which would mandate the release of extensive DOJ documents including flight logs and internal communications related to Epstein’s prosecution and death. The efforts come amid ongoing political controversy, with President Donald Trump and his allies having made the release of these files a campaign priority, while Democrats see the saga as an opportunity to challenge the GOP and demand accountability in the justice system. Although these legislative efforts face uncertain prospects, Democrats stress the importance of public access to information about one of the most notorious sex trafficking cases in history.