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DOJ to Begin Turning Over Epstein Records to House Oversight as Judge Blocks Grand Jury Unsealing

The initial production will be redacted for victim privacy with the scope of what DOJ will share still unclear.

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Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in March 2005 in New York City. Photo: Joe Schildhorn/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
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Former U.S, Attorney General Bill Barr arrives for a deposition under subpoena from the House Oversight Committee investigating Jeffrey Epstein at the Capitol in Washington DC today.

Overview

  • House Oversight Chair James Comer said DOJ will start providing Epstein-related files on Friday after a subpoena that initially set an Aug. 19 deadline.
  • Officials told the committee the process will take time because identities of victims and any child sexual abuse material must be removed.
  • U.S. District Judge Richard Berman denied DOJ’s bid to unseal specific grand jury transcripts, writing that the department is the logical party to release broader Epstein files and emphasizing victims’ rights.
  • An Oversight spokesperson said the panel intends to make records public after redaction review in consultation with DOJ to avoid exposing victims or disrupting investigations.
  • The committee has subpoenaed multiple high-profile figures and has begun depositions, including former Attorney General William Barr, who according to a source said he saw no evidence implicating President Trump in Epstein’s crimes.