President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed the Epstein Bill into law, mandating that the rest of the Epstein files be released. This compels the Justice Department to make public its case files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
However, as per the Bill, which with Trump's sign has become the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the Attorney General can withhold or redact ‘segregable portions of records.’ One of the criteria listed is that if such content “would jeopardize an active federal investigation or ongoing prosecution, provided that such withholding is narrowly tailored and temporary.”
Also Read | Donald Trump to meet ‘communist mayor' of NYC Zohran Mamdani at White House on Friday
While Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, who was one of the driving forces for the Bill to be introduced in the House, has asserted that the ‘tailored and temporary’ bit won't give much leeway to the DOJ for withholding files, there are questions nonetheless given that an active investigation is underway.
The DOJ investigation began at the behest of Trump who decried the entire matter as a ‘Democrat hoax’ but asked AG Pam Bondi and the FBI to investigate Epstein's links to Bill Clinton, among others. Since Bondi agreed to re-open the investigation, there have been questions whether the DOJ intends to release all files. A reporter, therefore, had asked Bondi about her course of action hours before the President signed the Epstein Bill into law.
What did Pam Bondi say about the Epstein file release?
{{/usCountry}}The DOJ investigation began at the behest of Trump who decried the entire matter as a ‘Democrat hoax’ but asked AG Pam Bondi and the FBI to investigate Epstein's links to Bill Clinton, among others. Since Bondi agreed to re-open the investigation, there have been questions whether the DOJ intends to release all files. A reporter, therefore, had asked Bondi about her course of action hours before the President signed the Epstein Bill into law.
What did Pam Bondi say about the Epstein file release?
{{/usCountry}}Attorney General Pam Bondi was asked if the new investigation would prevent the Department of Justice from releasing all the remaining Jeffrey Epstein files.
In reply, she said “So we have released over 33,000 Epstein documents to the Hill, and we'll continue to follow the law, and to have maximum transparency.”
“Also, we will always encourage all victims to come forward,” Bondi added.
With Trump signing the Bill, Bondi now has 30 days to release all the documents. She was asked by a reporter about this as well, and the AG replied that they planned to follow the law, ensure maximum transparency, while remaining focused on protecting the identity of the victims.
What does the Epstein Act do?
The Act compels Bondi to release essentially everything the Justice Department has collected over multiple federal investigations into Epstein, as well as his longtime confidante and girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for luring teenage girls for the disgraced financier. Those records total around 100,000 pages, according to a federal judge who has reviewed the case.
It will also compel the Justice Department to produce all its internal communications on Epstein and his associates and his 2019 death in a Manhattan jail cell as he awaited charges for sexually abusing and trafficking dozens of teenage girls.
While some are worried that the provision of withholding information due to an active investigation might be used by Bondi to shield some material from public view, the Bill clearly makes these actions answerable to the Congress.
“Within 15 days of completion of the release required under Section 2, the Attorney General shall submit to the House and Senate Committees on the Judiciary a report listing: (1) All categories of records released and withheld. (2) A summary of redactions made, including legal basis. (3) A list of all government officials and politically exposed persons named or referenced in the released materials, with no redactions permitted under subsection (b)(1),” the Bill states.