Congress
Introducing Rep. James Gallagher
Speaker Mike Johnson swore in Rep. James Gallagher (R-Calif.) Wednesday as the 431st member of the House, succeeding the late Rep. Doug LaMalfa, a Republican who died in January.
Gallagher brings the partisan balance of the chamber to 219-212, meaning Republicans can afford as many as three defections on party-line votes where all members are participating. But one GOP member, Rep. Tom Kean Jr. of New Jersey, has been absent since March and the exact date of his return is unclear.
Democrats are expected to pick up two additional seats in special elections before September. Special elections have yet to be scheduled to fill two other vacancies in GOP-leaning districts that are unlikely to be filled this Congress.
Tech mogul Bill Gates told the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee he had no knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes, despite their years-long relationship after Epstein’s 2008 sex crime conviction.
The prominent philanthropist and founder of Microsoft, who is sitting for a transcribed interview Wednesday as part of the panel’s ongoing Epstein investigation, also maintained that he was “never interested” in having a personal friendship with Epstein and that he did not reciprocate advances to that end, according to a copy of his opening statement published on his website.
“I never witnessed nor had any indication that Epstein was engaged in ongoing criminal conduct,” Gates told lawmakers, according to the prepared remarks. “I never went to his island, his ranch, or his Florida home. I have never victimized anyone.”
While Gates has not been accused of any wrongdoing, he is featured prominently in photos released by Epstein’s state and emails made public by the Justice Department — and he is one of several powerful men who have come under scrutiny for his sustained ties with the late, convicted sex offender.
Gates said he was introduced to Epstein in 2011, when the financier “claimed he could raise billions of dollars for global health from people for whom he provided tax and estate services.”
Although he knew Epstein had legal troubles, Gates said conceded he accepted an introduction “without applying the scrutiny I should have.”
Gates said he cut off ties with Epstein in 2014 when it became clear the donors Epstein promised to deliver would not be making contributions to Gates’ philanthropic work: “I should never have met with Epstein in the first place. Based on what I know now, I understand that even if he had delivered the new donors he promised, it would not have justified associating with him.”
But Gates also said Epstein learned “sensitive information about my personal life, including the fact that I had been unfaithful in my marriage,” and used it “to pressure me to re-engage with him. He was unsuccessful in this effort, but it shows some of the ways he tried to leverage his interactions with me to further his agenda.”
President Donald Trump asked Congress on Wednesday to pass a “short-term” extension of a key surveillance law set to expire Friday as Democrats continue to balk at his appointment of political ally Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence.
Trump stopped short of taking a step GOP congressional leaders believe could allow for the bipartisan passage of an extension — naming a nominee to succeed Pulte on a permanent basis. But he suggested a nomination would eventually come.
“I am asking Congress to send me a short-term extension of FISA to provide time for the selection and confirmation of a permanent Head of the Agency,” Trump said in a Truth Social post.
Speaker Mike Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise and other top House GOP leaders traveled to the White House on Wednesday morning to discuss a possible nomination with Trump on the sidelines of a bill-signing event, according to three people granted anonymity to describe their unannounced plans.
It’s not clear if Trump’s request will be enough to push through an extension of any length before Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act expires Friday. Many Democrats insist Pulte must vacate the top intelligence post before they approve any reauthorization.
Passing an extension in the Senate will require more than a dozen Democrats given the chamber’s filibuster threshold and some GOP opposition to the Section 702 program. Democratic votes are needed in the House, as well.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Wednesday that Republicans in his chamber will “do what’s necessary to keep the program, keep the lights on.”
“I think we’ll find out probably in short order what the discussions between the White House and Senate Democrats are able to accomplish, and then we’ll figure it out from there,” he added.
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee wants to hear from acting Attorney General Todd Blanche in July about his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, chair James Comer told reporters Wednesday.
“I think we all know he has a big confirmation coming up,” the Kentucky Republican said of Blanche, who President Donald Trump nominated earlier this week to formally lead the Justice Department. “I’ve always wanted Blanche to come in … We have questions.”
Comer said he was communicating with the Justice Department about extending an invitation for Blanche to sit for an interview as part of the panel’s ongoing Epstein investigation. It comes after former Attorney General Pam Bondi told the Oversight Committee in a recent transcribed interview that Blanche, as her deputy, was responsible for overseeing the release of the Epstein materials in DOJ’s possession — a process that included delays and botched redactions.
“The main thing that we have for Blanche is the question on what, if any documents are left out there,” Comer continued. “So that’s the main question.”
Should the Justice Department agree to make him available, the meeting would come at a particularly high-stakes moment for Blanche, who can’t afford to lose much support from Republicans in the Senate and still be confirmed as the nation’s top prosecutor.
Democrats on the Oversight Committee have been calling on Comer to have Blanche in to speak with them and indicated they could force a vote to subpoena him, should Comer decline to facilitate Blanche’s engagement with the panel under less aggressive circumstances.
Comer shared his intentions Wednesday morning as he headed in for a transcribed interview with tech mogul Bill Gates, who is poised to discuss his ties to Epstein with lawmakers and committee staff investigators.
A Justice Department spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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