Lawmakers push DOJ to release full Epstein files as deadline passes
Pressure is mounting on the U.S. Department of Justice over its failure to release the full set of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein
(NBC)- As lawmakers head home for the holidays, pressure is mounting on the U.S. Department of Justice over its failure to release the full set of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein by last Friday’s deadline.
The deadline was set under the Epstein Transparency Act, which requires the Justice Department to make the documents public. Instead, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are now taking parting shots at the DOJ, accusing it of ignoring the law.
The Senate’s top Democrat has introduced a resolution seeking legal action against the Justice Department, calling its refusal to release the complete files a “blatant disregard of the law,” and accusing the Trump administration of hiding the truth.
President Donald Trump pushed back against the criticism, calling the controversy a political distraction.
“This whole thing with Epstein is a way of trying to deflect from the tremendous success that the Republican Party has,” Trump said.
The president also said he believed the issue had already been resolved. So far, however, fewer than 10,000 pages have been released. Many of the documents that are public contain heavy redactions, with nearly 700 pages completely blacked out.
The Justice Department says the redactions are necessary to protect victims.
NBC News legal analysts say a judge would likely grant the DOJ an extension to delay the full release of the files, noting skepticism from the public over how the process has unfolded.
Former President Bill Clinton is now also criticizing the handling of the records. Clinton has appeared in several photos connected to Epstein that his spokesperson says were selectively released to imply wrongdoing, despite Clinton repeatedly being cleared of any criminal activity.
Clinton is now urging the Justice Department to release any remaining documents tied to him, saying transparency is needed to prevent insinuation.
