The US Department of Justice had a Friday deadline to release all files related to the Epstein case, but published just over 13,000, with thousands more still expected. Both Democrats and Republicans accuse the administration of violating the relevant law, the Epstein Files Transparency Act, by failing to release all the documents.
Among them, more than 550 pages have been kept fully classified (appearing completely blacked out). Notably, over 100 pages of a file related to a grand jury investigation (Grand-Jury-NY) are entirely redacted. Hundreds more contain concealed details, with the main justifications cited being the protection of victims and ongoing investigations. However, survivors’ associations have complained that their names were published, while there appears to be inconsistency: some files, for example, conceal Jeffrey Epstein’s address while others do not.
The law requiring the release of the material obliges Attorney General Pam Bondi to submit, within 15 days of publication, a report detailing all categories of files as well as a summary of the redactions made and their legal basis. It is unclear whether this report will be delayed, given that the files are being released gradually.
Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson are among the prominent figures mentioned, while Donald Trump appears almost nowhere.
At the same time, 16 files were “taken down” on Saturday, including a photograph depicting Donald Trump in a frame, prompting reactions from Democrats. They were re-uploaded on Sunday, with the Department stating that they had been removed following a request from victims, reviewed, and reposted after it was determined that they did not expose the victims.
The documents, which include photographs, videos and investigative records, feature public figures such as Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson, with very few appearances by Donald Trump. In 68 photographs released a day earlier by a committee of Democratic lawmakers, figures such as Microsoft founder Bill Gates, linguist and activist Noam Chomsky and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon were visible. It is worth noting that appearing in a photograph does not imply involvement in any illegal act.
Sources: The New York Times, Guardian [1], [2], BBC
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