WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Justice has expanded its review of documents related to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to 5.2 million as it also increases the number of attorneys trying to comply with a law mandating release of the files, according to a person briefed on a letter sent to U.S. Attorneys.
The figure is the latest estimate in the expanding review of case files on Epstein and his longtime girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell that has run more than a week past a deadline set in law by Congress.
The Justice Department has more than 400 attorneys working on the review, but does not expect to release more documents until January 20 or 21. The White House confirmed the figures in the email and indicated that the administration’s review was an all-hands-on-deck approach, as stated by Todd Blanche, the deputy attorney general.
Blanche mentioned that lawyers from various sectors, including the FBI and the Southern District of New York, are working tirelessly to review the files. He encouraged lawyers to allocate their time toward this critical task, noting that redactions to protect victims take time but will not halt the release of materials.
Attorney General Pam Bondi faces mounting pressure from Congress as the DOJ struggles to meet the December 19 deadline. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie questioned Bondi's effectiveness on social media, even suggesting potential impeachment. In response, Democrats are assessing their legal options amid rising tensions within the Republican Party over the Epstein documentation.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer took to social media to accuse Bondi and her team of misleading the public regarding the Epstein files, highlighting that the documents released thus far represent only a small fraction of the total.
