GEOFF BENNETT: Lawmakers in the U.S.

House of# Representatives reached a critical threshold## in the push to release information related to# the federal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.

At the same time, one committee has made# public a set of e-mails and documents## that raise new questions about President# Trump's ties to the late sex offender.

White House correspondent Liz Landers has been# reviewing those materials and has the story.

LIZ LANDERS: As the House returned# to Washington today, Democrats on the## House Oversight Committee released more# Epstein files that name President Trump.

In one e-mail from Epstein to his former# girlfriend and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine## Maxwell sent in 2011, Epstein wrote -- quote --# "I want you to realize that the dog that hasn't## barked is Trump," adding that an unnamed victim# -- quote -- "spent hours at my house with him."

Maxwell responded the same day -- quote# -- "I have been thinking about that."

The White House called the e-mails a hoax and# distraction.

Karoline Leavitt said today the## redacted name is Virginia Giuffre, an Epstein# survivor who died by suicide earlier this year,## but had previously said Trump# was not involved in her abuse.

KAROLINE LEAVITT, White House Press Secretary:# These e-mails prove absolutely nothing, other than## the fact that President Trump did nothing wrong.# And what President Trump has always said is that## he was from Palm Beach and so was Jeffrey Epstein.# Jeffrey Epstein was a member at Mar-a-Lago until## President Trump kicked him out because Jeffrey# Epstein was a pedophile and he was a creep.

LIZ LANDERS: In another e-mail exchange# dated January 31, 2019, with journalist## and author Michael Wolff, Epstein writes --# quote -- "Trump said he asked me to resign,## never a member, ever.

Of course, he knew about# the girls, as he asked Ghislaine to stop."

President Trump has said that he and Epstein had# a falling out after Epstein -- quote -- "stole## young women" who worked for the spa at his# private Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach.

PBS## has reached out to attorneys for both Maxwell# and Wolff, and has not received a response.

In another exchange dated December 15, 2015,## the day of a Republican presidential# primary debate on CNN, Wolff allegedly## e-mailed Epstein that he'd heard the network# planned to ask Trump about their relationship.

Epstein asked -- quote -- "If we# were able to craft an answer for him,## what do you think it should be?"

Wolff offered in part that -- quote -- "If he# says he hasn't been on the p.. then that gives you a valuable P.R.

and# political currency.

You can hang him in## a way that potentially generates# a positive benefit for you, or,## if it really looks like he could win,# you could save him, generating a debt."

Trump was not asked about# Epstein during the debate,## according to a PBS News review# of transcripts and video.

REP.

ROBERT GARCIA (D-CA): These e-mails clearly## show that there are still a# lot of unanswered questions.

LIZ LANDERS: Democratic Congressman Robert Garcia## is the ranking member on the# House Oversight Committee.

REP.

ROBERT GARCIA: These are# pretty serious allegations and## lead us all back to questions that should be# answered by the White House.

And most importantly,## the big question that I have and that we have# been talking to and talking with every single## day of many people as possible is, why won't# the White House just release all the files?

LIZ LANDERS: In response, Republicans on# the Oversight Committee accused Democrats## of cherry-picking documents to release# and posted their own trove of 20,000## Epstein-related documents later this morning.

Many# of them are not incriminating, but among them,## an e-mail from Epstein stating former President# Bill Clinton never visited his private island.

The e-mail exchanges come as new# information came to light earlier## this week from a whistle-blower# alleging that Maxwell is receiving## special treatment in the Texas prison# she was moved to earlier this year.

The whistle-blower claims that Maxwell's# meals have been customized by prison staff## and personally delivered to her cell,# an inmate who trains service dogs was## instructed to provide one to Maxwell so she# could play with a puppy, and that Maxwell## is preparing a commutation application# for the Trump administration to review,## a possibility the president# has left open in the past.

DONALD TRUMP, President of the United# States: I will take a look at it.

I## will speak to the DOJ.

I wouldn't# consider it or not consider it.

I## don't know anything about it, so# -- but I will speak to the DOJ.

LIZ LANDERS: During his presidential campaign# last year, Mr.

Trump said he would release files## related to Epstein if he won a second term in# office, including an alleged list of Epstein's## high-profile clients, but has downplayed its# importance since returning to the White House.

DONALD TRUMP: It's all been a big hoax.# It's perpetrated by the Democrats.

Some## stupid Republicans and foolish# Republicans fall into the net.

LIZ LANDERS: A few members of the# Republican Party have broken with## Trump to seek the public release of# the Epstein documents.

Four House## Republicans have joined Democrats in signing# a petition that would force a vote on it.

REP.

MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-GA):# This is the most important fight we## can wage here in Congress.

It's fighting for# innocent people that never received justice.

ARICK FUDALI, Attorney For Epstein# Accusers: It's just still not enough.

LIZ LANDERS: Arick Fudali represents# several Epstein surv.. the slow-roll release of documents# creates more questions than answers.

ARICK FUDALI: It's been so, so debilitating# and so revictimizing for these survivors,## that it's like -- it's just it's# three steps forward 100 steps back,## and it's just been -- it's# been like this for decades.

LIZ LANDERS: Today, with the House back# for the first time in more than 50 days,## Democratic Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva was## sworn in to fill a seat she won in a# special election back in September.

REP.

ADELITA GRIJALVA (D-AZ): That is why I will## sign the discharge.. (CHEERING) LIZ LANDERS: Providing the critical 218th signature needed to force a# vote to release the files.

Trump and members of his administration are# reportedly pressuring Republicans not to release## the files, the president writing on social media# -- quote -- "There should be no deflections to## Epstein or anything else," and members of the# administration also reportedly meeting with## some House Republicans directly to urge them# to retract their signatures on the petition.

For the "PBS News Hour," I'm Liz Landers.