A federal judge has ordered the Justice Department to release more unredacted Jeffrey Epstein records or justify keeping them sealed by July 2, with redacted versions of the files including sensitive interview notes documenting a minor's uncorroborated sexual assault allegations against President Donald Trump.U.S.District Judge Emmet Sullivan, a Clinton-appointed judge, issued the order after granting a preliminary injunction sought by independent journalist Katie Phang, who sued Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche in April.
She alleged that the Justice Department failed to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act that was signed last year when she requested several documents.The law requires the government to make Epstein-related investigative records public while allowing limited redactions to protect victims and other legally protected information.More than half of the six million files have been made publicly available, with the remaining files withheld because of legal privilege protections or because they are duplicates, according to the Justice Department.
But the department has faced growing criticism over the scope of its redactions, with critics arguing it has concealed information that should be public under the law.EPSTEIN FALLOUT GROWS AS DOJ WATCHDOG DIGS DEEPER INTO HANDLING OF THE CASEJeffrey Epstein walks outdoors in New York City on Feb.23, 2011.
He is the subject of a bipartisan House Oversight Committee investigation.(David McGlynn/Unknown)In a 48-page memorandum, Sullivan ordered the Justice Department to either disclose less-redacted versions of several key Epstein records or justify the redactions.
The documents covered by the order include eight emails with hidden senders or recipients; a 2007 draft federal indictment — with the names of potential co-conspirators redacted — that was never filed; and a 2019 email referencing alleged co-conspirators whose identities were obscured.Among the redacted records is an email — with th...