The Justice Department (DOJ) requested a federal judge on Thursday to deny demands for additional unredacted records related to Jeffrey Epstein, asserting that it has met federal transparency requirements. The DOJ also sought a 60-day extension to consider an appeal if ordered to release more material. This request was made just before a court-imposed deadline for the department to either remove redactions from certain records or provide justification for not doing so.
The case is overseen by U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan, who is addressing a lawsuit from attorney and journalist Katie Phang, alleging that the DOJ improperly withheld records pertinent to the Epstein investigation. The DOJ argued that it has invested significant resources in reviewing over 6 million documents under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, through DOJ attorneys, stated that the disputed records fall under statutory exemptions that allow the withholding of information identifying victims or compromising ongoing investigations. The DOJ mentioned that certain email exchanges involving Epstein and allegations of abuse related to Donald Trump were among the contested records.
The department indicated it could not provide an unredacted draft indictment due to the original document already containing redactions and the inability to locate an unredacted version. Additionally, some handwritten FBI notes could not be released due to technical limitations in ensuring the removal of personally identifiable information.
Instead of releasing more records publicly, the DOJ proposed to provide Judge Sullivan with detailed explanations in closed-door proceedings. This filing represents the DOJ's ongoing defense of its handling of the Epstein files, which has faced bipartisan criticism regarding the pace and scope of disclosures. It remains uncertain whether Judge Sullivan will grant the DOJ's requests, especially after previous findings of legal violations in releasing the files.