The U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) announced on Wednesday that it may require additional weeks to complete the release of records related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. This follows the discovery of over a million additional potentially relevant documents, which will extend the timeline for compliance with a congressionally mandated deadline that passed last Friday.
Document Discovery and Delays
The announcement, made on Christmas Eve, occurred hours after a group of a dozen U.S. senators requested the Justice Department's watchdog to investigate the department's failure to meet the initial deadline. The senators, comprising eleven Democrats and one Republican, wrote to Acting Inspector General Don Berthiaume, stating that victims deserve full disclosure and an independent audit.
The Justice Department communicated via social media that federal prosecutors in Manhattan and the FBI had uncovered more than one million documents potentially connected to the Epstein case. This development follows previous statements by department officials months prior, which had suggested a comprehensive review of Epstein-related materials had been completed.
Previous Statements and Reviews
In March, Attorney General Pam Bondi stated on Fox News that a "truckload of evidence" had been produced following her directive for the FBI to deliver all Epstein files to her office. This directive was issued after she reportedly learned from an unidentified source that the FBI in New York possessed thousands of documents.
By July, the FBI and Justice Department issued an unsigned memo indicating that an "exhaustive review" had been undertaken, concluding that no additional evidence should be released. This represented a shift from earlier pledges of transparency by the Trump administration. The memo did not suggest the existence of further unreviewed or unknown evidence. The Justice Department's post on Wednesday did not specify when the department was informed of the newly discovered files.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated in a letter last week that Manhattan federal prosecutors already possessed over 3.6 million records from sex trafficking investigations involving Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, though many were duplicates of material already provided by the FBI.
Compliance and Response
The Justice Department stated its lawyers are actively reviewing the documents to redact victim names and other identifying information, as required by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, enacted last month. The department committed to releasing the documents as soon as feasible, noting that the volume of material could extend this process for several more weeks.
Attention on the Justice Department's staggered release of Epstein-related records has increased, particularly from victims and members of Congress. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a co-author of the transparency law, stated that the DOJ had not complied with the law regarding illegal redactions and the missed deadline. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., another architect of the law, indicated he and Massie would continue to apply pressure, noting the release of more documents after threats of contempt proceedings.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., commented on the timing of the announcement, stating it indicated a "massive coverup" and questioned what was being concealed. The White House, through spokeswoman Abigail Jackson, issued a statement defending the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein records.
Released Records and Congressional Action
Following an initial release of records on Friday, the Justice Department posted additional batches to its website over the weekend and on Tuesday. No further notice has been given regarding the arrival of more records. The records released so far, which include photographs, interview transcripts, call logs, and court documents, were either previously public or heavily redacted. Newly released information included grand jury testimony from FBI agents detailing interviews with girls and young women who reported being paid for sex acts with Epstein.
Other recent disclosures include a federal prosecutor's note from January 2020 indicating that Donald Trump had reportedly flown on Epstein's private plane more frequently than previously known, and emails between Maxwell and an individual signing off as "A," with other references suggesting the writer was Prince Andrew. In one email, "A" reportedly wrote: "How's LA? Have you found me some new inappropriate friends?"
Senator Schumer introduced a resolution that, if passed, would direct the Senate to initiate or join lawsuits to compel the Justice Department to comply with disclosure and deadline requirements. He characterized the staggered, heavily redacted release as a "blatant cover-up."
Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) led the call for an inspector general audit. Other senators who signed the letter include Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), Adam Schiff (D-California), Dick Durbin (D-Illinois), Cory Booker (D-New Jersey), Andy Kim (D-New Jersey), Gary Peters (D-Michigan), Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island). The senators stated that full transparency is essential for identifying individuals who enabled and participated in Epstein's crimes.