DOJ limits congressional review of Epstein records to publicly released files

Lawmakers set to review unredacted Jeffrey Epstein records at the Justice Department beginning Monday will be allowed to examine only documents that have already been released to the public, not the full universe of Epstein-related materials the department has identified, according to Justice Department correspondence and congressional aides.

In a Jan. 30 letter to Congress, the Justice Department said it identified more than 6 million pages as potentially responsive to the Epstein Files Transparency Act but has released roughly 3.5 million pages in total, including about 3 million pages disclosed last week. The department said the remaining materials were duplicative, non-responsive, privileged, sealed by court order, or otherwise protected from disclosure.

Under the review process announced Friday, members of Congress may view unredacted versions of the publicly released documents in person at Justice Department headquarters. The arrangement does not provide access to materials outside the public release, according to reporting by the Associated Press.

Lawmakers must schedule appointments at least 24 hours in advance and may review the records on Justice Department computers between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Electronic devices are prohibited, though handwritten notes are permitted.

The Justice Department says the process demonstrates its compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which requires disclosure of unclassified records related to Epstein while allowing limited redactions, primarily to protect victim identities.

However, some lawmakers involved in drafting the law dispute the department’s interpretation of its obligations. In its Jan. 30 letter, DOJ said approximately 200,000 pages were redacted or withheld based on legal privileges or other statutory protections, a figure also cited in the department’s compliance announcement.

Reps. Ro Khanna of California and Thomas Massie of Kentucky wrote to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, criticizing what they described as inconsistent redaction practices, including extensive redactions in some documents and insufficient protection of victim identities in others. Their concerns were outlined in a joint letter to the DOJ.

“We have seen a blanket approach to redactions in some areas, while in other cases, victim names were not redacted at all,” the lawmakers wrote. They said Congress cannot fully assess the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell cases without access to the complete record.

The Justice Department acknowledged after last week’s release that it was correcting thousands of documents that may have improperly disclosed identifying information about victims, according to PBS NewsHour.

Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland also requested an urgent review of unredacted records, citing what he described as a discrepancy between the number of pages DOJ identified during collection and the number ultimately released. His concerns were detailed in a letter to the Justice Department.

The publicly released materials include documents referencing prominent figures, including Bill Gates and Elon Musk, though many names and identifying details were redacted, according to Business Insider.

Mr. Khanna has argued publicly that the redactions exceed what the law permits, accusing the Justice Department of shielding powerful individuals rather than narrowly protecting victims.

While Mr. Khanna praised the congressional access arrangement, writing on social media that “when Congress pushes back, Congress can prevail,” lawmakers from both parties continue to press for broader access to the records.

For now, congressional review will be limited to the documents the Justice Department has already released publicly, leaving unresolved questions about the remaining materials the department identified during its records search and whether additional disclosures will follow.