On Tuesday, Republican Rep. Tim Burchett issued a formal request to House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer to invite Ghislaine Maxwell to testify publicly about Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes and connections.

Given the intense public interest on this topic, Rep. Burchett’s call should be honored by Rep. Comer despite the political backlash the two may receive from President Donald Trump and his closest allies.

Maxwell, serving a 20-year federal sentence for her role in Epstein’s sex trafficking operation, remains one of the few living individuals with direct knowledge of how Epstein’s network operated. Her testimony could illuminate the mechanisms of abuse, the enablers and potentially the identities of powerful figures who may have escaped accountability.

Burchett’s letter to Comer urges not only an invitation but a subpoena if Maxwell refuses to appear voluntarily. This is not political theater, as so many congressional inquiries are. It’s a welcome demand for justice.

The timing of Burchett’s request is critical. A recent memo from the Department of Justice and FBI concluded that Epstein died by suicide and that no incriminating client list exists. Yet this conclusion has done little to quell public skepticism.

The memo’s release, coupled with Attorney General Pam Bondi’s conflicting statements about the existence of Epstein-related documents, has only deepened mistrust. Bondi once claimed the files were “sitting on my desk,” only to later walk back that assertion. Such inconsistencies fuel speculation and erode confidence in our institutions.

Chairman Comer now faces a pivotal decision. Will he honor Burchett’s request and demonstrate that the Oversight Committee is committed to truth and accountability? Or will he allow political pressure and institutional inertia to bury one of the most disturbing scandals of our time?

The public’s appetite for transparency is not partisan. Americans across the political spectrum want answers. They want to know who enabled Epstein, who benefited from his crimes and why justice has been so elusive. Maxwell’s testimony could provide those answers. It could also help victims find closure and ensure that such a network can never operate again.

Comer has the authority to act. If he chooses to ignore Burchett’s request, he risks signaling that Congress is unwilling to confront uncomfortable truths. Worse, he risks perpetuating the perception that powerful individuals are above the law.

Some may argue that inviting Maxwell to testify is a distraction or a political stunt. But that argument fails to recognize the gravity of the crimes involved.

Burchett’s courage should not be met with silence. Comer must respond, not with platitudes, but with action. A public hearing featuring Maxwell would demonstrate that Congress is serious about oversight, serious about justice and serious about restoring public trust.

If Maxwell refuses to testify, a subpoena must follow. If the DOJ resists, Congress must assert its constitutional authority. The stakes are too high for half measures. The victims deserve answers. The public deserves transparency. And the truth, however uncomfortable, must come to light.

Chairman Comer, the choice is yours. History will remember whether you stood for accountability or stood in its way.
— The Baltimore Sun