The Department of Justice on Friday released some of its investigative files about Jeffrey Epstein, the notorious sex predator.
The release came on the deadline set by the recently signed Epstein Files Transparency Act for the DOJ to release all of the files.
The DOJ’s website features a new page titled “Epstein Library,” which has a search box to look for keywords in the newly released files.
It was not immediately clear how much new material was available on the page, which included a raft of previously public documents.
And the search box did not appear to work, as searches for words including “Epstein” generated a message saying: “No results found. Please try a different search.”
“This site houses materials responsive under the Epstein Files Transparency Act,” the site says. “This site will be updated if additional documents are identified for release.”
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche earlier Friday told Fox News, “I expect that we’re going to release several hundred thousand documents today.”
“I expect that we’re going to release more documents over the next couple of weeks, so today several hundred thousand, and then over the next couple weeks,” Blanche said. “I expect several hundred thousand more.”
Blanche said the DOJ was reviewing each file to redact names and identities of Epstein’s victims.
“There’s a lot of eyes looking at these, and we want to make sure that when we do produce the materials that we’re producing, that we’re protecting every single victim,” he said.
Democrats in Congress slammed the partial release plan and President Donald Trump.
“Donald Trump and the Department of Justice are now violating federal law,” Rep. Robert Garcia and Jamie Raskin said in a joint statement. “We are now examining all legal options in the face of this violation of federal law.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer blasted the DOJ, Blanche, and Attorney General Pam Bondi after the interview, saying, “This is nothing more than a cover up to protect Donald Trump from his ugly past.”
“The law Congress passed and President Trump signed was clear as can be — the Trump administration had 30 days to release ALL the Epstein files, not just some,” Schumer said in a statement.
“Failing to do so is breaking the law. This just shows the Department of Justice, Donald Trump, and Pam Bondi are hellbent on hiding the truth,” he said.
The text of the Epstein Files law says: “Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall, subject to subsection (b), make publicly available in a searchable and downloadable format all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials in the possession of the Department of Justice, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Attorneys’ Offices, that relate to: (1) Jeffrey Epstein including all investigations, prosecutions, or custodial matters. (2) Ghislaine Maxwell.”
CNBC is reaching out to the people identified in the photos or mentioned in the latest release of the Epstein files. This article will be updated with their responses.
A person being mentioned in the release of documents and photos does not imply any wrongdoing.
Blanche is the second-highest-ranking DOJ official, after Bondi. Blanche previously served as a criminal defense lawyer for Trump.
Garcia, D-Calif., and the Maryland Democrat Raskin, in their joint statement, said, “For months, Pam Bondi has denied survivors the transparency and accountability they have demanded and deserve and has defied the Oversight Committee’s subpoena.”
“The Department of Justice is now making clear it intends to defy Congress itself, even as it gives star treatment to Epstein’s convicted co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell,” they said, referring to the fact that Maxwell was transferred to a less restrictive federal prison earlier this year after sitting for a two-day interview with Blanche.
Reps. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who co-sponsored the Epstein Files Act, in a statement after Blanche’s interview said, “If DOJ is producing real documents of interest that are not overly redacted, and if they are clear about timeline for full production then that is a positive step.”
“They’re producing 10x what they’ve given to our oversight committee, but they ultimately must release all of it,” Khanna said. “The north star remains justice for survivors and holding the rich and powerful men who raped young girls or covered up the abuse accountable.”
Khanna noted that “the law requires to release all unclassified information by today and to provide in the federal register an explanation of anything they redact.”
“They have had months to prepare this and they have continually rejected our offer to meet with them about this or to meet with survivors’ lawyers about the logistics,” Khanna said.”
“That said, there are millions of pages of documents they need to go through to protect victim’s identities and redact graphic materials. The fact they are even releasing hundreds of thousands of these is a historic moment for survivors across our nation.”
The files’ ordered release comes after months of controversy over the Trump administration’s decision to renege on past promises by top law enforcement officials to make the documents and other evidence public.
In November, Congress overwhelmingly voted to compel the DOJ to release the Epstein files, and Trump signed that legislation despite having urged Republicans in Congress to oppose it.
