U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz pressed FBI Director Kash Patel on investigating whether a birthday book[1] provided by Jeffrey Epstein’s estate contains a forgery.
The Parkland Democrat raised questions after President Donald Trump repeatedly denied that he sent a bawdy birthday message to Epstein that included the line “may every day be another wonderful secret.”
“You’ve seen the picture of the woman’s body with the writing and the President’s signature that the President says that’s not his?” Moskowitz asked Patel at a House Oversight Committee[2] hearing. “President says it’s not his. Republican colleagues say it’s not his. Even the administration saying it’s not his.”
He referenced a picture and text initially reported by The Wall Street Journal[3] and later made public by Democrats on the committee as part of a book of birthday messages to the South Florida billionaire. Epstein died by suicide[4] in federal custody in 2019 after his arrest on child sex trafficking charges.
Trump, after the initial reporting on the message, sued[5] The Wall Street Journal and denied writing the letter.
“Will you be opening up an investigation,” Moskowitz asked, “against the Epstein estate for putting out a fake document with the President’s signature, linking him to the world’s largest pedophile? Are you opening that investigation?”
Moskowitz represents South Florida, near where Epstein previously lived.
Patel, a Florida public defender and conservative podcaster before his ascension to FBI Director[6], initially questioned why an investigation was warranted.
“On what basis?” he asked.
“They literally put out a fake document, according to the President, with a fake signature — a forgery. Of the President of the United States’ signature,” Moskowitz said. “That’s the basis.”
Then Patel agreed to look into it.
“Sure,” Patel said. “I’ll do it.”
Trump has repeatedly called the Epstein case a “Democrat hoax[7].”
Meanwhile, Patel has drawn controversy since announcing the Epstein investigation was closed. During questioning from House members, he said court orders would restrict him from releasing any further files and documents related to the case.
House Oversight Chair James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, previously told CNN[8] he was prepared to take Trump’s word that he never signed the letter.
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References
- ^ birthday book (floridapolitics.com)
- ^ House Oversight Committee (www.c-span.org)
- ^ The Wall Street Journal (www.wsj.com)
- ^ died by suicide (floridapolitics.com)
- ^ sued (www.pbs.org)
- ^ ascension to FBI Director (floridapolitics.com)
- ^ Democrat hoax (www.pbs.org)
- ^ told CNN (x.com)