The House Oversight Committee today voted to subpoena Ghislaine Maxwell for a deposition regarding the Jeffrey Epstein case, a motion offered by Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN) and supported by both Republican and Democratic members, according to Representative Burchett and Daniella Micaela of Punchbowl News. This development comes as House Republicans grapple with what Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) described as an "Epstein-fueled crisis," with many members expressing frustration over the handling of information related to the case. Simultaneously, President Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric, asserting that former President Barack Obama committed "treason" and is "guilty" in connection with alleged efforts to overthrow the United States and a duly elected president. Trump stated, "This is the biggest scandal in the history of our country," and linked Obama to sedition and a coup attempt, as reported by ExxAlerts and Acyn. He also dismissed questions about the Epstein case as a "witch hunt" and a continuation of the same alleged efforts against him. Regarding the Epstein case, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi's office, through Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, is in discussions with Maxwell's counsel to determine if she will speak with prosecutors, as stated by FBI Director Kash Patel. Blanche indicated that if Maxwell has information about crimes against victims, the Department of Justice and FBI will hear her statement. However, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) expressed skepticism about Maxwell's testimony, suggesting she might be "bartering for something." In other news, Vice President JD Vance landed on Nantucket today, as reported by ACKCurrent. Separately, federal judges in New Jersey voted not to retain Alina Habba as U.S. Attorney, instead selecting her first assistant, Desiree Grace, as her successor, according to New Jersey Globe. On the legislative front, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) announced her opposition to the Military Construction-Veterans Affairs (MilCon-VA) appropriations bill. House Speaker Johnson confirmed Representative Anthony Garbarino (R-NY) has been ratified as the chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, following a voice vote by the House Republican Conference, with Representative Andrew Clyde (R-GA) casting a 'no' vote. Politico also reported that Senate Finance Chair Ron Wyden (D-OR) has prioritized Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) reform for year-end talks, with efforts led by Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA). Additionally, the White House is preparing to unveil a plan to promote U.S. artificial intelligence abroad and address domestic AI regulations, according to Reuters. Microsoft reported today that Chinese government hackers are responsible for recent SharePoint breaches. The U.S. has also withdrawn from UNESCO again, citing anti-Israel bias and "woke" causes, as reported by Axios. Lastly, an Economist/YouGov poll conducted from July 18-21 shows President Trump's approval at 43% among registered voters and 41% among adults, with disapproval at 56% and 55% respectively. In state-level developments, Beto O'Rourke and Norm Eisen held a discussion on redistricting at the Center for American Progress, urging Democrats to redraw blue state maps in response to actions in Texas, according to Dave Weigel. Texas Governor Greg Abbott reportedly became more receptive to a special session for redistricting after a call from former President Trump, as reported by Texas Tribune. Florida and Missouri could also see mid-decade redistricting, potentially affecting 3-4 seats in Florida and 1 in Missouri, according to Punchbowl News.
