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NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department on Friday published thousands of files concerning Jeffrey Epstein, a long-awaited release that will reveal new details about the late sex offender and his relationships with powerful people.
But soon after release it became clear that it would fall far short of those expectations. The partial release angered Democrats who accused the Trump administration of trying to hide the information. The Justice Department said it would continue to release documents in the coming weeks.
The file dump – dominated by photographs, but also including call logs, court records and other documents, many with redactions – comes after politicians and the public launched a massive campaign for transparency about the government’s investigation into the wealthy financier.
President Donald Trump, who was a friend of Epstein for years before the two fell out, tried for months to keep the records sealed. Although he has not been accused of wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, he has argued that there is nothing to see in the files and that the public should focus on other issues.
On November 19, bowing to political pressure from his fellow Republicans, he signed a bill The Justice Department is required to release most of its files on Epstein within 30 days. The White House said the release of the files Friday shows how the administration is “the most transparent in history.”
Here are some things to know about the Justice Department’s initial Epstein file release:
Contains thousands of photos, but fewer files than expected
The law, signed by Trump last month, set Friday as a deadline for the Justice Department to release most of its files on Epstein.
Before release, Deputy Attorney General todd blanche He told Fox News that he expected to release several hundred thousand files on Friday, with several hundred thousand files expected to be released later.
But the number of files actually arriving on the Justice Department’s website appears to be a small fraction of the expected total. Blanch acknowledged in a letter to Congress that production of the files was incomplete. The department said it expected to complete the production of the Epstein documents by the end of the year.
The documents made public include approximately 4,000 files – mostly photographs – under a subset the Justice Department described as “DOJ disclosures.” Most of the photos were taken by the FBI during searches of Epstein’s homes in New York City and the US Virgin Islands.
It also included images of envelopes, folders and boxes containing investigative material related to various investigations related to Epstein. Many records have been redacted and anything containing personally identifiable victim information, including materials depicting sexual and physical abuse, are not authorized for release.
Several other files released Friday by the Justice Department include court records, public records and disclosures from House committees. After years of court action and investigation, at least some of that material has already circulated in the public domain.
Several photos show former President Bill Clinton
Many of the most popular photos from the files Show former Democratic PresidentClinton has acknowledged traveling on Epstein’s private jet but said it through a spokeswoman he had no knowledge About the crimes of the late financier.
Some photos show Clinton on a private plane, one of which shows a woman sitting next to him with her arm around him. His face has been removed from the photo.
In another picture he is seen in the pool with the British socialite Ghislaine MaxwellWho has been convicted of luring young girls to Epstein so he could molest them, and another man whose face has been blackened. One shows him with the late pop star Michael Jackson, singer Diana Ross and a woman whose face has been blackened.
And another shows Clinton in a hot tub with a woman whose face has been painted red. The Justice Department did not say how those photos were related to the criminal investigation.
Nevertheless, senior White House aides immediately turned their attention to Axe.
White House press secretary Carolyn Leavitt wrote, “Oh my!” and added a surprised face emoji in response to a photo of Clinton in a hot tub.
Clinton’s deputy chief of staff Angel Urena said in an ex-post that “this is not about Bill Clinton” and accused the White House of trying to protect others.
“There are two types of people here,” he wrote. “The first group knew nothing and cut Epstein off before his crimes came to light. The second group continued a relationship with him afterward. We are in the first group.”
Clinton has never accused of wrongdoing Regarding Epstein, and the investigation, the mere inclusion of anyone’s name or images in the files does not make any sense.
No new revelations about Trump or others
For some people searching for the record released Friday, the most interesting parts were the ones in which high-profile celebrities appeared rarely — or not at all.
For example, there is minimal reference to Trump in the files, and the small number of photos that show him have been in the public domain for decades. The president made no reference to the release of the preliminary records during a rally Friday night in North Carolina.
This undated, redacted photo released by the U.S. Justice Department shows Jeffrey Epstein holding a large check bearing Donald Trump’s signature. (US Department of Justice via AP)
The release includes at least one photo of former Prince Andrew, who appears to be in a tuxedo while lying on the lap of several women dressed formally. Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s accusers, accused Epstein of arranging for her to have sex with men, including the prince.
Marina Lacerda, one of those women Says she survived sexual assault She said Friday that she wanted to see more transparency from the Justice Department and expressed frustration over the cutbacks and incomplete release.
“Just put the files out,” he said. “And stop modifying names that don’t need to be edited.”
Some MPs are upset with the partial release
Several lawmakers criticized the Trump administration for failing to produce all the documentation required under the law.
Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., introduced what is known as an emancipation petition, That ultimately led to a vote in Congress that forced the release of the Epstein files. On Friday, both of them took to social media to criticize the partial release.
Macy wrote that it “completely fails to follow both the spirit and letter of the law.” Khanna described the releases so far as “disappointing”.
“We will insist on genuine documents,” he said.
This undated photo released by the US Justice Department shows Jeffrey Epstein and Michael Jackson. (US Department of Justice via AP)
This undated photo released by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee shows Steve Bannon and Jeffrey Epstein taking a photo together. (House Oversight Committee via AP)
Senator Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., said that by ignoring the deadline, the administration is denying justice to Epstein’s victims. He said he was “exploring all avenues and legal tools to bring justice to the victims and transparency to the American people.”
If Democratic lawmakers want, they could go to court to force the Justice Department to follow the law, but it would almost certainly be a lengthy process that would continue as the department releases more files.
Separately, the House Oversight Committee has issued a subpoena for the Epstein files. This could provide another opportunity for Congress to force the committee to release more information, but it would require Republicans to engage in contempt of Congress proceedings against the Republican administration.
This undated, unedited photo released by the US Justice Department shows Jeffrey Epstein, at right, with Richard Branson. (US Department of Justice via AP)
This undated photo released by the US Justice Department shows Ghislaine Maxwell with former Colombian President Andres Pastrana in Colombia. (US Department of Justice via AP)
