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The U.S. Department of Justice released more than 3 million pages of documents, including over 2,000 videos and 180,000 images, related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s death and criminal investigation on Friday, fulfilling its obligations under the Epstein Files Transparency Act passed by Congress last November.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced that the DOJ has now complied with the law, which mandated the release of all files connected to the disgraced financier. The massive disclosure follows criticism from lawmakers who complained about missed deadlines and excessive redactions in previously released materials.
“More than 500 lawyers and others worked through weekends and holidays to comply with the law, while making sure to protect victims’ information,” Blanche said during a Friday press conference. He noted that the team had to review over 6 million pages – what he described as “two Eiffel Towers of pages” – to determine what should be made public.
The files contain a wide range of materials, including unvetted FBI submissions, Epstein’s private correspondence, and court records. NPR’s initial review found communications between Epstein and powerful figures like Elon Musk and Kathryn Ruemmler, former White House counsel during the Obama administration, along with numerous references to former President Donald Trump.
The Justice Department emphasized in its statement that “being mentioned in the files is not a sign of wrongdoing or association with Epstein’s crimes,” as the documents include unverified allegations and submissions made to the FBI. Officials also warned that the tranche may contain “fake or falsely submitted images, documents or videos” since everything sent to the FBI by the public was included in the production.
“Some of the documents contain untrue and sensationalist claims against President Trump that were submitted to the FBI right before the 2020 election,” the DOJ release stated. “To be clear, the claims are unfounded and false, and if they had a shred of credibility, they certainly would have been weaponized against President Trump already.”
The release of Epstein’s files has become a political flashpoint. During his campaign, Trump amplified conspiracy theories about the files, suggesting the government was covering up information about Epstein’s connections to powerful individuals. However, once back in office, Trump’s administration fought efforts to release the files, leading to bipartisan criticism.
Blanche directly addressed allegations of political bias in the release process: “There’s this mantra out there that, oh, you know, the Department of Justice is supposed to protect Donald J. Trump. That’s not true. That was never the case. We are always concerned about the victims.” He added that Trump has directed the DOJ to “be as transparent as we can.”
The DOJ stated they continue to withhold documents that depict violence or involve attorney-client privilege. The department also discarded duplicates and unrelated materials during the review process.
“Through the process, the Department provided clear instructions to reviewers that the redactions were to be limited to the protection of victims and their families,” the DOJ said. “Some pornographic images, whether commercial or not, were redacted, given the Department treated all women in those images as victims. Notable individuals and politicians were not redacted in the release of any files.”
NPR’s review of the newly released files revealed Trump’s face blacked out on a news article sent by former advisor Steve Bannon. The DOJ also temporarily took offline a spreadsheet containing unverified allegations about Trump and others due to an overload, according to a Justice Department spokeswoman.
Epstein, who had connections to numerous wealthy and powerful individuals, died in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide, though questions and conspiracy theories have persisted about the circumstances.
In a separate announcement during the same press conference, Blanche confirmed the DOJ has opened a civil rights investigation into the death of Alex Pretti, a U.S. citizen shot by immigration enforcement officers in Minneapolis last weekend. The investigation will be led by the FBI in coordination with the DOJ’s civil rights division and the Department of Homeland Security.
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18 Comments
I’m curious to see what new details emerge from this massive release of Epstein-related materials. Hopefully it can provide more clarity around the full scope of his criminal activities.
Transparency is important, but the DOJ will need to ensure they’ve properly protected sensitive information about victims and other individuals involved.
Given the controversial nature of this case, I expect the release of these files will generate a lot of discussion and scrutiny. It will be interesting to see how the public and media respond.
Transparency is important, but the DOJ will need to ensure they’ve properly protected sensitive information about victims and witnesses.
This is certainly a high-profile and complex case, so I’m glad the DOJ is working to make as much information public as possible while still safeguarding victims’ privacy.
It will be important for everyone involved to approach this material with the appropriate level of caution and care.
Wow, that’s an incredible amount of information to sift through. I wonder what new insights or revelations might come to light as journalists and researchers dig into these files.
Hopefully this release can shed more light on the full scope of Epstein’s crimes and any potential connections to other influential figures.
This release of Epstein files is certainly a significant development, though I imagine the sheer volume of information will present challenges in terms of sifting through and analyzing it all.
I hope the media and public will approach this material with appropriate caution and care, given the sensitive nature of the case.
The release of these Epstein files is certainly a significant development. I’m curious to see what new information, if any, will emerge from this massive trove of documents and materials.
Transparency around high-profile cases like this is important, though the DOJ will need to balance that with protecting victims’ privacy.
This is a complex and sensitive case, so I’m glad the DOJ is working to make as much information public as possible while still safeguarding victims’ privacy.
It will be important for journalists and researchers to carefully analyze these files and report on their findings in a responsible manner.
The release of these Epstein files is an important step towards transparency, though the DOJ will need to balance that with protecting victims’ privacy and sensitive information.
I’m curious to see what new revelations or insights might emerge as journalists and researchers dig into this trove of documents and materials.
The sheer volume of documents and materials in this Epstein file release is quite staggering. I’m curious to see what new details or revelations might come to light.
Transparency is important, but the DOJ will need to ensure they’ve properly protected sensitive information about victims and other individuals.