Epstein live updates: Democrats accuse Trump admin of ‘cover up’ and violating law after DOJ limits file release
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee accused the Justice Department of engaging in a cover-up and violating the law after officials said they would not release the full cache of Epstein files in its possession by Friday’s legally-mandated deadline.
“Donald Trump and the Department of Justice are now violating federal law as they continue covering up the facts and the evidence about Jeffrey Epstein’s decades-long, billion-dollar, international sex trafficking ring,” ranking members on the committee said Friday afternoon.
The files, expected to contain unclassified documents, photographs and internal communications, were reportedly set to drop at 3 p.m. ET, a source told NewsNation. The time came and went with no files being issued.
Congress imposed a deadline of December 19 for the department to release all documents related to the government’s investigation into Epstein, a well-connected financier who was accused of abusing and sex trafficking young women and girls. He died by suicide in jail while awaiting trial in 2019.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said not all materials will be released on the deadline because of redactions necessary to protect survivors, ongoing litigation and national security interests.
