DOJ finds million extra potential Epstein paperwork to evaluate earlier than launch

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The Department of Justice mentioned Wednesday it might have greater than one million extra paperwork associated to the late Jeffrey Epstein that it must evaluate and that the method might take weeks to finish.

The DOJ mentioned two of its elements, the FBI and the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace for the Southern District of New York, had simply handed over the lacking tranche of recordsdata, days after the Epstein Information Transparency Act deadline had handed.

"We have now legal professionals working across the clock to evaluate and make the legally required redactions to guard victims, and we'll launch the paperwork as quickly as potential," the DOJ wrote in an announcement on social media.

EPSTEIN FILE DROP INCLUDES 'UNTRUE AND SENSATIONALIST CLAIMS' ABOUT TRUMP, DOJ SAYS

Lawyer Common Pam Bondi speaks alongside President Donald Trump on current Supreme Courtroom rulings within the briefing room on the White Home on June 27, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Getty Photographs)

The "mass quantity of fabric" might "take a couple of extra weeks" to evaluate, the DOJ mentioned.

"The Division will proceed to completely adjust to federal regulation and President Trump’s course to launch the recordsdata," the division wrote.

The DOJ has been sharing on a public website since Friday tens of 1000's of pages of recordsdata associated to Epstein’s and Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex-trafficking instances as a part of its obligation beneath the transparency invoice.

Jeffrey Epstein was discovered useless in federal custody in 2019. (New York State Intercourse Offender Registry by way of AP, File)

Trump signed the invoice into regulation Nov. 19, giving the DOJ 30 days to evaluate and launch all unclassified materials associated to the instances.

The file rollout has stirred controversy as critics have blasted the DOJ for what they are saying are extreme redactions and the regulation's lapsed deadline Friday. Initially, the DOJ mentioned it might miss the deadline by a few weeks, however Wednesday's announcement indicators that which may prolong additional into the brand new 12 months than the administration had anticipated.

SCHUMER ACCUSES DOJ OF BREAKING THE LAW OVER REDACTED EPSTEIN FILES

Todd Blanche, then-deputy legal professional basic nominee, seems earlier than the Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington, D.C., on February 12. (Daniel Heuer/Bloomberg by way of Getty Photographs)

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Deputy Lawyer Common Todd Blanche mentioned on "Meet the Press" Sunday there was "well-settled regulation" that supported the DOJ lacking the invoice's deadline due to a necessity to fulfill different authorized necessities, like redacting victim-identifying info.

The transparency invoice required the DOJ to withhold details about victims and materials that might jeopardize open investigations or litigation. Officers might additionally miss info "within the curiosity of nationwide protection or overseas coverage," the invoice mentioned.

The invoice additionally explicitly directed the DOJ to maintain seen any particulars that could possibly be damaging to high-profile and politically related individuals.

Ashley Oliver is a reporter for Fox Information Digital and FOX Enterprise, masking the Justice Division and authorized affairs. E-mail story tricks to ashley.oliver@fox.com .