The Department of Justice said Wednesday it has identified “over a million more documents” that could be related to the Jeffrey Epstein case, acknowledging that releasing them could take several more weeks.
Review and Redaction Process Ongoing
In a statement posted on X, the DOJ said it received the documents from the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. Officials said attorneys are reviewing the material to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, existing laws and court orders, while making required redactions to protect victims.
Because of the sheer volume of records, the department said the review process is still ongoing.
Background on Epstein Files
Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender, died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. ABC News has previously reported that the DOJ possesses more than a million documents connected to Epstein and related investigations.
Congress mandated the release of the files through the Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed in November. The law required most documents to be made public by Dec. 19, with limited exceptions for victim privacy and ongoing investigations.
Criticism From Democrats
Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia, the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, sharply criticized the administration, accusing the DOJ of illegally withholding documents and mishandling redactions.
Garcia called for Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify before Congress and urged whistleblowers to come forward, saying lawmakers want accountability and justice for survivors.
What Has Been Released So Far
As of Tuesday morning, the DOJ had released more than 30,000 pages of records across roughly 15,000 downloadable files. Thousands of photographs were also made public for the first time.
However, critics say the department has gone too far in redacting names, including those of government officials and potential co-conspirators, making it difficult to understand who was involved in internal communications.
Concerns Over Errors and Redactions
The administration has also faced backlash for mistakenly leaving some victims’ names unredacted in released documents, while aggressively blacking out other information. Lawmakers have questioned whether the redactions are being applied consistently and appropriately.
Lawmakers Vow Continued Pressure
Rep. Ro Khanna, a co-author of the transparency law alongside Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, said lawmakers will continue pushing the DOJ to release additional materials, including FBI interview reports and emails recovered from Epstein’s computer.
Khanna said congressional pressure has already forced the department to acknowledge the existence of millions more documents and vowed that oversight efforts would continue.
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