Schumer says century-old law forces Trump DOJ, FBI to release Jeffrey Epstein files by August deadline

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer D-N Y commented Wednesday that Democrats invoked a century-old law to force President Donald Trump's Department of Justice and the FBI to release the Jeffrey Epstein files At a press conference Schumer disclosed he joined all his Democratic colleagues on the Senate Homeland Defense Committee in invoking a century-old and little-known law known as the Rule of Five Under the federal law Schumer revealed when any five senators on the Homeland Safeguard Committee call on the executive branch the executive branch must comply Schumer declared their request covers all documents files evidence and other materials in possession of the DOJ and the FBI related to the circumstance of the United States v Jeffrey Epstein While protecting the victims' identities can and must be of top importance the masses has a right to know who enabled knew of or participated in one of the preponderance heinous sex trafficking operations in history Schumer revealed SCHUMER CALLS ON FBI TO CONDUCT COUNTERINTELLIGENCE THREAT ASSESSMENT ON EPSTEIN FILESHe pointed to past statements from Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel promising transparency but argued the inhabitants has only received stonewall evasion lies Donald Trump campaigned on releasing the Epstein files He broke that promise Schumer continued Trump should stop hiding from the truth He should stop hiding from the American people So currently Senate Democrats took action We're invoking federal law and using our authority as a check on the executive to compel transparency It's not a stunt It's not symbolic It's a formal exercise of congressional power under federal law And we expect an answer from DOJ by August the th the top Senate Democrat continued That's what accountability looks like This is what oversight looks like And this is what keeping your promises to the American people look like He also appealed to Senate Republicans If you believe in transparency if you believe Congress has a role to play in checking the executive join us Join us in calling for more transparency on the Epstein files because once there's transparency the truth emerges Schumer explained The DOJ did not promptly respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital Schumer initially made the announcement during a speech on the Senate floor earlier Wednesday The top Democrat argues that he and four other senators can force the Department of Justice to release the files to the population JOHNSON SAYS GHISLAINE MAXWELL DESERVES LIFE SENTENCE OVER EPSTEIN CRIMES REJECTS PROBABLE PARDONWednesday's floor speech was Schumer's second in the past meager days focusing on the Epstein files He also called on the FBI to conduct a counterintelligence threat assessment on the Epstein development on Tuesday He argued the FBI assessment should accomplish three things determine if foreign intelligence agencies could gain access to the information the president does not want to release in the Epstein files through methods that include cyber intrusion identify any vulnerabilities that could be exploited by foreign intelligence agencies with access to non-public information in the Epstein files including being able to gain leverage over Donald Trump his family or other senior ruling body administrators and development in the FBI publicly showing that the bureau is evolving mitigation strategies to counter these threats and safeguard our national precaution