Additional Coverage:
DOJ Unearths Million-Plus Epstein Documents, Delays Transparency Rollout
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Wednesday that it has discovered over a million additional documents related to the late Jeffrey Epstein, a development that could prolong the review and release process by several weeks. This new cache of files, originating from the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, comes days after the mandated deadline set by the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
In a statement posted on social media, the DOJ assured the public that “lawyers are working around the clock to review and make the legally required redactions to protect victims,” promising to release the documents “as soon as possible.” The department emphasized its commitment to “fully comply with federal law and President Trump’s direction to release the files.”
Since Friday, the DOJ has been publishing tens of thousands of pages of documents concerning Epstein’s and Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex-trafficking cases on a public website. This ongoing release is in fulfillment of the transparency bill, signed into law by President Donald Trump on November 19, which initially provided the DOJ with 30 days to review and disclose all unclassified materials.
The rollout has not been without its critics, who have voiced concerns over what they perceive as excessive redactions and the missed Friday deadline. While the DOJ initially projected a two-week delay, Wednesday’s announcement suggests the process may now extend further into the new year than previously anticipated.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche addressed the deadline issue on “Meet the Press” on Sunday, citing “well-settled law” that supports the DOJ’s need to prioritize other legal requirements, such as redacting victim-identifying information. The transparency bill mandates the withholding of information pertaining to victims, as well as any material that could compromise ongoing investigations or litigation. The bill also allows for the exclusion of information “in the interest of national defense or foreign policy,” while explicitly directing the DOJ to keep visible any details potentially damaging to high-profile and politically connected individuals.