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Lawmakers to Get First Look at Unredacted Epstein Files
WASHINGTON D.C. – Members of Congress are set to begin reviewing unredacted versions of the Justice Department’s files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a move that comes after significant pressure from lawmakers and the public. The in-person review process will commence Monday morning at the DOJ offices, according to sources familiar with the department’s plans.
The opportunity to examine these sensitive documents will initially be limited to members of Congress, not their staff. A letter sent to lawmakers outlines the strict protocol: 24 hours’ notice is required, no electronic devices are permitted, and members can take notes but will access the material via computers rather than physical documents.
Crucially, this initial review will focus on the 3 million files already made public, rather than the more extensive trove of over 6 million documents the DOJ possesses. The push for access to the unredacted materials gained momentum following Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s announcement last Friday regarding the public release of the documents.
Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), key figures behind the “Epstein Files Transparency Act,” swiftly penned a letter to Blanche requesting access to the unredacted files. Democrats on the Judiciary Committee also pressed for early review, particularly ahead of Attorney General Pam Bondi’s scheduled appearance before the committee next Wednesday.
Leadership and members of the House and Senate Judiciary committees will receive priority access, with all members of Congress eventually granted the opportunity to review the materials. Rep.
Khanna expressed his satisfaction with the development on social media, stating, “When Congress pushes back, Congress can prevail. @RepThomasMassie & I have always believed that Congress must not be a doormat.
Not when it comes to the Epstein files.”
Jeffrey Epstein, a politically connected figure, was charged in 2019 with sex trafficking of minors and died by suicide in his jail cell while awaiting trial. The “Epstein Files Transparency Act,” signed into law by President Donald Trump in November, mandated the public release of all unclassified DOJ records related to Epstein within 30 days. This legislation was a direct response to public outcry and lawmaker dissatisfaction with a July memo from the FBI and DOJ stating their investigation was complete and no further information would be released.
The Justice Department has faced criticism for both the extent of redactions in the publicly released files and, conversely, for failing to adequately redact information pertaining to victims, who the department estimates number over 1,000. Khanna and Massie previously highlighted this concern in a joint letter to the DOJ, noting “a blanket approach to redactions in some areas, while in other cases, victim names were not redacted at all.”
Deputy Attorney General Blanche acknowledged last week that approximately 200,000 pages have been withheld or redacted based on various privileges, including deliberative process, work-product doctrine, and attorney-client privilege. However, Khanna and Massie contend that the law enacted in November requires the release of “Internal DOJ communications, including emails, memos, meeting notes, concerning decisions to charge, not charge, investigate, or decline to investigate Epstein or his associates,” suggesting these redactions may violate the spirit of the transparency act.