Dear Mr Neece,
Thank you for contacting me to share your views on Jeffrey Epstein and the Epstein files. I appreciate hearing from you and welcome the opportunity to respond.
As you may know, Jeffrey Epstein was a convicted sex offender who was later accused of sexually trafficking minors. In July 2019, he was arrested on federal charges of sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors, but he died in custody in August 2019 before those charges could be adjudicated. Since his death, additional court records and case materials have been released over time, though many documents have been heavily redacted to protect victims’ privacy and other sensitive information.
I am a cosponsor of House Resolution 577, led by Rep. Mark Veasey, which demands the immediate release of all federal documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. In 2025, Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna pursued a discharge petition effort to force the House to take up legislation requiring public release of the Department of Justice’s unclassified Epstein-related records. I was a proud signer of this petition and supported efforts to push House Republicans to vote on the matter.
To avoid a vote on the Epstein Files, Speaker Mike Johnson canceled votes for September 29 and 30 and adjourned the House of Representatives earlier than scheduled. Speaker Johnson also refused to swear in Representative Adelita Grijalva for 50 days, who would become the final signature on the discharge petition to force a vote.
After months of political pressure, President Trump ultimately directed Congressional Republicans to vote on the release. On November 18, 2025, I voted in favor of H.R.4405, the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The bill passed the Senate on November 19, 2025, and was signed into law by President Trump.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act mandates the full release of the Epstein files by December 19, 2025, subject to limited, clearly defined materials (including protections for victims’ personally identifying information, exclusion of CSAM, and narrowly tailored temporary withholdings for active investigations). Despite this deadline, the Department of Justice has released less than 1% of the documents that have been released. I remain concerned by the continued delays and will keep pressing the Department of Justice to comply fully and promptly with the law.
Child exploitation and sexual abuse are among the most heinous violations of human rights, inflicting lifelong trauma. That’s why, last Congress, I introduced a privileged resolution on the House Floor to require the House Ethics Committee to release its report on the allegations of serious misconduct, including sexual intercourse with a minor, by former Representative Gaetz. I will always fight to hold those fully accountable for their actions, without exception or compromise.
What is clear is that Members of Congress have a responsibility to demonstrate to the American people that ethical standards matter, and that transparency is essential to maintaining public trust in government institutions. Please be assured that I will continue to advocate for full, lawful transparency regarding the Epstein files and for accountability and justice for survivors. The American people deserve to know whether public institutions are meeting the standards they expect and deserve.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me. Please know that your views allow me to effectively represent Illinois’ Sixth Congressional District. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of assistance.
Sincerely,
Rep. Sean Casten
Member of Congress
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