"Violation of federal law": US Democrats on Epstein files redactions

Washington DC [US], December 20 : US Congressmen Robert Garcia and Jamie Raskin, leading Democrats on the House Oversight and Judiciary Committees, have criticised the Department of Justice for heavily redacting Jeffrey Epstein's files, calling it a violation of federal law.

They argue the Trump administration is covering up evidence related to Epstein's sex trafficking ring and failing to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which mandated the release of unclassified documents within 30 days.

Democrat representative Ro Khanna said that he was "disappointed" with the materials produced on Friday and that he will be exploring "all options" about what to do next.

In a post on X, he said, "The DOJ's document dump of hundreds of thousands of pages failed to comply with the law authored by Thomas Massie and me. One document, 119 pages of Grand Jury testimony, was completely redacted. I explain what is missing and what the survivors and their lawyers are still expecting to be released."

https://x.com/RoKhanna/status/2002150152690348438?s=20

https://x.com/OversightDems/status/2002066483913076773?s=20

With the Justice Department again reviewing hundreds of thousands of pages of government-held documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein, top prosecutors say they still haven't found evidence showing Epstein blackmailed prominent figures nor have they uncovered evidence that could prompt new criminal investigations.

That assertion, which the department previously made in July, could continue to fuel frustration among those who are calling for more transparency and accountability following Epstein's years of abuse, as per CNN.

"This review did not reveal credible evidence that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals, nor did it uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties," Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche wrote to Congress today.

When asked earlier on Fox News whether more charges could be expected - even after Epstein co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell has been sentenced and is serving federal prison time Blanche said, "As the president directed, it's still being investigated. And I expect that will continue to happen. So, as of today, no new charges are coming."

In one series of photos, a young man's face is initially covered with a black square. But in later images, his face is not redacted, and there are clear shots of him walking up a staircase and in a garage next to a luxury car. CNN has geolocated these photos to an opulent estate outside of Paris.

In another photo, a different man lying atop Ghislaine Maxwell is at first redacted. Elsewhere in the files, the same photo appears without his face redacted, as per CNN.

Justice Department officials expressed frustration over the speed at which they were required to process the files, CNN reported on Thursday.

The DOJ has released thousands of documents, including photos of Epstein with prominent figures like Bill Clinton and Michael Jackson, but many files remain heavily redacted to protect victims and ongoing investigations. Garcia and Raskin are exploring legal options, emphasising survivors' right to justice and transparency.

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