Lawmaker says more arrests made over Reflecting Pool than Epstein files

A member of the House Oversight Committee said early Thursday that more people have been arrested over alleged vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool than from files connected to deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. " "That's how this administration operates these days," the lawmaker added.

Five individuals accused of vandalizing the newly renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool were arrested this week for allegedly tampering with the landmark. Some of those detained said they merely touched the water, while law enforcement officers charged them with destruction of government property, a charge that carries a 10-year maximum prison sentence.

The House Oversight Committee has launched its own investigation into Epstein, interviewing former President Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who were all named in the files.

Being referenced in the file does not mean the officials were convicted of wrongdoing. The lawmaker and other lawmakers have pressed the Trump administration to charge and arrest Epstein's associates after releasing millions of files from his estate earlier this year.

"The brave survivors, and the American people, deserve the truth. For too long, powerful and rich people have evaded accountability for their association with Jeffrey Epstein," the lawmaker said in a statement last November after voting to pass a bill to force the release of the Epstein files.

"As a member of the House Oversight Committee, I will continue to work with my colleagues to conduct a full, thorough investigation, and finally hold those who committed heinous crimes against girls accountable," the lawmaker added.