The Justice Department this week pledged it would release certain files related to Jeffrey Epstein if the documents were “improperly tagged” not to be disclosed.
The promise from the DOJ comes after the top Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA), expressed concern that information about one of Epstein’s alleged victims was missing from files the government released last month. The FBI appears to have interviewed the unnamed woman four times ahead of a trial for one of Epstein’s closest associates, Ghislaine Maxwell. The woman accused Epstein of abuse and claimed President Donald Trump sexually assaulted her when she was a minor.
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The Justice Department said it is “currently reviewing” files that may have been improperly flagged. If such files are found, they will be published, “consistent with the law,” the agency wrote, referring to the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The Justice Department declined to answer the Washington Examiner‘s request for a timeline of when the review will be complete.
“Several individuals and news outlets have recently flagged files related to documents produced to Ghislaine Maxwell in discovery of her criminal case that they claim appear to be missing,” the Justice Department wrote in a statement to X. “As with all documents that have been flagged by the public, the Department is currently reviewing files within that category of the production. Should any document be found to have been improperly tagged in the review process and is responsive to the Act, the Department will of course publish it, consistent with the law.”
The files Garcia is seeking pertain to FBI case file logs and discovery documents that were turned over to Maxwell and her attorneys in the criminal case against her. The FBI interviewed the Trump and Epstein accuser four times, according to an FBI “Serial Report” and a list of Non-Testifying Witness Material in the Maxwell case cited by NPR. Only the first interview, conducted July 24, 2019, is in the public database, according to an analysis of released files conducted by that outlet and several others.
Garcia has suggested that the DOJ “illegally” withheld the interviews. He alleged on Wednesday that the country is “witnessing a White House cover-up of serious allegations against the President by a survivor,” and called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to release all the records related to the case.
“I reviewed unredacted evidence logs at the Department of Justice. Oversight Democrats can confirm that the DOJ appears to have illegally withheld FBI interviews with this survivor who accused President Trump of heinous crimes,” Garcia said.
Trump has repeatedly denied all sexual harassment or abuse allegations and any speculation that he participated in criminal activity with Epstein and his associates.
The president is among a slew of high-profile figures, including former President Bill Clinton and his wife, whose relationship with Epstein was further detailed in the government files released on the deceased financier last month.
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The Clintons are to be deposed before the House oversight committee on Friday in connection with their close ties to Epstein.
The deposition comes as a slew of other U.S. and global leaders have faced sweeping repercussions from their connection to Epstein, with renowned talent mogul Casey Wasserman moving to sell his agency, former Harvard President Larry Summers resigning from leadership positions at the Ivy League university, Microsoft founder Bill Gates issuing an apology to staff, the World Economic Forum’s president resigning, and Great Britain’s Prince Andrew being arrested.