US Politics
What to know about Epstein files release as the deadline approaches
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The Department of Justice is hours away from a deadline, imposed by Congress, to release hundreds of documents related to the government’s investigation into the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
By Friday, December 19, the department must release all unclassified documents, investigation material and internal communications from probes into Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell. That includes flight logs and references to named individuals, including potentially government officials.
The highly-anticipated release is part of some lawmakers’ efforts for greater transparency about the Epstein investigation. The multimillionaire financier was accused of sexually abusing young women and girls before he died by suicide in jail while awaiting trail on trafficking charges in 2019. Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence for crimes associated with Epstein’s abuse.
Thousands of documents about Epstein’s crimes have already been released through criminal and civil litigation. House Democrats have also released photos and paperwork with the latest tranche issued Thursday.
Here’s what else the public can expect ahead of the release.
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Why is this happening now?
Last month, nearly every member of Congress voted for the Epstein Files Transparency Act which gave the Department of Justice some 30 days to gather, redact and release the trove of documents related to the government’s investigations into Epstein and Maxwell.
While nearly unanimous, it took weeks for lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to force a vote on the House floor, due to the government shutdown and initial pushback from President Donald Trump.
Despite Trump asserting on the campaign trail that he would release the Epstein files when in the White House, he and key administration officials reversed their position earlier this year and claimed there was no new or necessary information to be released.
But facing immense public pressure, including from members of his own MAGA base and survivors of Epstein’s abuse, the president gave Republicans the go-ahead to vote in favor of the bill.
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What could be released?
It’s unclear, given the government has vast discretion to redact certain information. But it’s possible that the new information will provide more details about how investigators went after Epstein, and whether they considered other charges.
Epstein was under federal investigation twice, the first in Florida in 2006. But despite being indicted, the U.S. Attorney at the time, Alex Acosta, arranged a controversial agreement for the multimillionaire to plead guilty to two state charges, as well as a prison sentence and a requirement that he register as a sex offender, in exchange for the federal case to be dropped.
The second investigation led to a 2019 sex trafficking indictment in New York and Epstein’s arrest. However, he died in prison before he could face trial.
Judges in Florida and New York have approved the release of grand jury materials that were used to bring the two separate indictments against Epstein, as well as the one against Maxwell.
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While the grand jury materials may contain some information, it represents only a fraction of the documents in the Justice Department’s possession.
However, the judge who approved the release of grand jury materials in Maxwell’s case warned that would “learn next to nothing new” from the documents.
The judge said the materials do not identify perpetrators other than Epstein and Maxwell; do not discuss Epstein’s alleged clients; and don’t reveal any unknown methods of Epstein or Maxwell’s crimes. Nor do they reveal any other location where crimes occurred, the judge added.
What will be redacted?
Under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, Attorney General Pam Bondi is permitted to redact information that could identify victims, their medical files, or be considered an invasion of personal privacy.
Bondi can also redact anything that depicts or contains sexual abuse materials, death or physical abuse or injury of another person, as well as any information that could jeopardize an ongoing federal investigation.
The Justice Department is also permitted to redact information in the interest of national security or foreign policy.
What has been released so far?
Most of the key information about Epstein and his crimes has been released through public disclosures in civil and criminal lawsuits as well as Freedom of Information Act requests from news organizations.
Police reports, state grand jury records, flight records, Epstein’s address book and interviews with Epstein’s employees have been public for years.
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Much of the information people are familiar with was released during Maxwell’s 2021 federal sex trafficking trial which led to her conviction on child sex trafficking and other offenses.
Earlier this year, the Justice Department released footage from the Manhattan jail where Epstein died, though it was noticeably missing one minute from its timestamp. Officials attribute that to a longtime error in the surveillance system.
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have also recently released photos of Epstein’s estate on his private island and Epstein with some of his high-profile and powerful friends and associates, including Trump and former President Bill Clinton. A person’s appearance in the files or in images alongside Epstein does not allege wrongdoing.