The Latest: Justice Department is releasing 3 million pages from Jeffrey Epstein files
NEW YORK (AP) — The Justice Department on Friday released many more records from its investigative files on Jeffrey Epstein, resuming disclosures under a law intended to reveal what the government knew about the millionaire financier’s sexual abuse of young girls and his interactions with the rich and powerful.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department was releasing more than 3 million pages of documents in the latest Epstein disclosure, as well as more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images. The files, posted to the department’s website, include some of the several million pages of records that officials said were withheld from an initial release of documents in December.
They were disclosed under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the law enacted after months of public and political pressure that requires the government to open its files on the late financier and his confidant and onetime girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell.
After missing a Dec. 19 deadline set by Congress to release all of the files, the Justice Department said it tasked hundreds of lawyers with reviewing the records to determine what needs to be redacted, or blacked out, to protect the identities of victims of sexual abuse.
Here’s the latest:
Records include unsubstantiated tips sent to investigators
Over the years, prosecutors received tips from people with wild stories about being sexually abused by famous figures. In some instances, FBI investigators diligently reached out to these tipsters and alleged victims and listened to their implausible sounding stories — some involving the occult and human sacrifice — then wrote dry reports summarizing what the people had to say and sent them to their superiors.
Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor says even more documents will be released
Attorney Jay Clayton told New York federal court judges overseeing records in the sex trafficking cases against Epstein and Maxwell that some documents are being withheld temporarily while the government awaits further guidance from civil and criminal courts.
In a letter to the judges, Clayton says his office continues to engage with victims and their lawyers, including during a call Thursday. He said the Justice Department has invited victims to reach out if they believe anything has been published that should be redacted.
Some of the documents we’ve seen so far
The huge cache of documents included email correspondence between prosecutors, printouts of thousands of emails that Epstein either sent or received, news clippings, and reports written by FBI agents summarizing their interviews with witnesses and alleged victims in the investigation.
As was the case with many previous releases of documents related to Epstein, much material was blacked out. Some of the reports on FBI interviews had entire pages blacked out, along with the name of the person who was being interviewed.
Blanche defends DOJ handling of Epstein release
The deputy U.S. attorney general also responded to criticism about the Justice Department’s handling of the files’ release.
He said federal attorneys had to review all 6 million pages to ensure no victim information is released, and couldn’t do so within the 30-day timeline set by the law. He noted various exemptions under the law, but said no material was being withheld under a national security or foreign policy exemption.
“There’s not some tranche of super-secret documents about Jeffrey Epstein that we’re withholding,” he said about redactions in the files.
Blanche acknowledges extensive redactions
Justice Department lawyers made extensive redactions to the released files, including victim information that included their medical files.
They redacted images and videos, including removing any woman depicted in videos except for Ghislaine Maxwell.
Lawyers also withheld child sex abuse materials or anything depicting images of death, physical abuse or injury, as well as anything that would hurt an ongoing federal investigation, Blanche said.
AP reporters are reviewing the files
Compiling accurate and thorough information takes time. A team of AP reporters is working to confirm information released by the Justice Department regarding Jeffrey Epstein.
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Blanche: ‘We did not protect President Trump’
Blanche said that the release may not answer all the questions people have about Epstein or the handling of the allegations against him.
“There’s a hunger, or a thirst, for information that I don’t think will be satisfied by review of these documents,” he said.
“We did not protect President Trump. We didn’t protect — or not protect — anybody,” Blanche said.
Review of Epstein files was an ‘unprecedented effort,’ deputy AG says
Blanche called the review and release of Epstein files an “unprecedented effort” as he defended the Trump administration’s response to demands for their release.
“I take umbrage at the suggestion, which is totally false, that the attorney general or this department does not take child exploitation or sex trafficking seriously,” Blanche said. “We do.”
Blanche said the disclosure includes more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images
He said more than 6 million pages could potentially be released under the law, but that the department’s massive release does not include files that contain personally identifiable information of victims.
More than 3 million document pages will be released
Deputy U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Justice Department, in releasing more than 3 million pages of Epstein files Friday, that federal lawyers gave up countless hours every single day to fulfill this “promise of transparency” to the American people.