By Jack Phillips
The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Sunday re-released with “minimal redactions” 119 pages of grand jury materials in the 2021 case against Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.
“Documents and photos will continue to be reviewed consistent with the law and with an abundance of caution for victims and their families,” the department wrote in a post on X that included a link to the files. It was responding to a news article published Dec. 19 reporting that a 119-page grand jury document related to the case was totally redacted.
Starting on Dec. 19, the DOJ initiated the release of Epstein-related files to the public to meet a deadline established under a law that was signed last month. Some of the files were heavily redacted as officials have said they want to protect the identities of victims, while a top DOJ official stated that not all of the files will be released at once.
The DOJ said Saturday that it will continue to make redactions to Epstein- and Maxwell-related materials as it continues to review thousands of documents and photos.
“Photos and other materials will continue being reviewed and redacted consistent with the law,” the DOJ wrote in an additional post on X at around 10 p.m. ET on Saturday.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday that the DOJ will continue to review files related to the Epstein investigations.
“We’re going through a very methodical process with hundreds of lawyers looking at every single document and making sure that victims’ names and any of the information from victims is protected and redacted, which is exactly what the [Epstein Files Transparency Act] expects,” Blanche told NBC’s “Meet the Press,” referring to the name of the law that requires disclosure of the files.
Blanche defended the department’s efforts to release the files with redactions, saying that the law “also requires us to protect victims” and that officials “are still reviewing documents and still continuing our process … to protect victims.”
Some of the critics of the redactions and how the DOJ is rolling out the files include Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who pushed for passage of the Epstein files bill earlier this year. On Sunday, Massie accused the DOJ of not complying with the law.
“Not only are they trying to create an exemption that doesn’t exist in our law, they are expressly ignoring the requirement to provide those materials,” Massie told CNN.
Khanna said in an interview on CNN that he would consider issuing articles of impeachment against Attorney General Pam Bondi, asserting the department is not following the law that was passed.
Responding to the comments about impeachment, Blanche told NBC News on Sunday that he is not taking those claims seriously and defended the DOJ’s work so far.
“Not even a little bit. Bring it on,” Blanche said when asked about a question related to whether he is concerned about anyone being impeached. “We are doing everything we’re supposed to be doing to comply with this statute.”
Referring to some members of Congress, he added that “the same individuals that are out there complaining about the lack of documents that were produced on Friday are the same individuals who apparently don’t want us to protect victims.”
“We’re going through a very methodical process with hundreds of lawyers looking at every single document and making sure that victims’ names and any of the information from victims is protected and redacted, which is exactly what the transparency act expects. That’s exactly what Attorney General Bondi expects. It’s exactly what President Trump expects. So that’s what we’re doing,” Blanche said.
