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2w ago

DOJ Urges Judge to Reject Special Master Over Epstein Records Release

The department says the court lacks authority to appoint an outside monitor at the request of two lawmakers.

Washington DC, USA-June 5, 2018: J. Edgar Hoover FBI wall emblem on the side of the FBI Building
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Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein are seen in this image released by the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., U.S., on December 19, 2025 as part of a new trove of documents from its investigations into the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. U.S. Justice Department/Handout via REUTERS
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Overview

  • In a Friday letter to U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and SDNY U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton argued that Representatives Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie lack standing and that the court cannot grant their requested relief.
  • Congress mandated public disclosure under the Epstein Files Transparency Act by December 19, 2025, yet the DOJ released only a heavily redacted subset of roughly 12,285 documents totaling about 125,575 pages.
  • The DOJ reports millions of remaining materials—estimates include 5.2 million pages and more than two million additional documents—under manual review by over 500 DOJ and FBI reviewers to protect victim identities.
  • Khanna and Massie asked for a court‑appointed special master and independent monitor, alleging excessive redactions, removals of posted records without explanation and potential criminal violations in the release process.
  • The department says it has made “substantial progress” but has announced no new releases in 2026 or a timetable for the next tranche, drawing public criticism as the judge considers the filings.