Justice Department defends decision not to release, unredact more Epstein files

(The Hill) – The Justice Department (DOJ) declined on Thursday to release additional unredacted records from its investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, telling a federal judge that it has already adequately complied with the law.

The DOJ’s response came in the final hours of a court-ordered deadline to remove redactions in at least a dozen documents or “show cause” why it could not.

Those documents included “at least eight email exchanges with Mr. Epstein regarding a ‘torture video’ and sexual activity with young women, including minors” and interviews with a woman who claims she was abused by President Trump as a minor.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, through his attorneys, told District Judge Emmet Sullivan that his department has “devoted incredible time and resources” to reviewing over 6 million documents in connection with the Epstein Files Transparency Act (EFTA).

“As will become apparent, it would contravene the settled application of the EFTA for the Department to produce unredacted versions of many of the records at issue, and nothing requires that result,” Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward wrote.

The filing pointed to exemptions in the law that allowed DOJ to withhold or redact records that contained victims’ identities and information that could jeopardize a federal investigation, among a few other exceptions.

Woodward noted that senders and recipients were concealed in several of the emails because they included the names of victims and others contained private email addresses.

“One of the complicating aspects of administering the EFTA is that many communications written by victims, without context, can appear disturbing on their face,” he wrote. “Consistent with that statutory authority, the Department has sought to prevent victim PII from becoming public even in instances where the victims eventually became complicit or engaged in reprehensible activity or communications.”

Woodward also claimed that redactions in a draft indictment from the Southern District of Florida were present in the original file and the department “has not been able to locate an unredacted version” of the photocopy.

As for a set of FBI interview notes, Woodward said those could not be produced due to “technical limitations” in ensuring that handwritten materials are free from private victim information.

The Justice Department argued that it should not be forced to release any further records to the public but offered to share additional details with the judge in closed-door proceedings. It also asked for a 60-day extension so that the solicitor general can consider a possible appeal, if further action is demanded.

The filing comes in a lawsuit from attorney and independent journalist Katie Phang, in which she alleged that the DOJ has violated the transparency law by withholding information.

Blanche has repeatedly defended the administration’s handling and rollout of the files in the face of strong bipartisan backlash.

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