Lawmakers Accuse Pam Bondi Of ‘purposefully Mudding’ List Of Names Associated With Epstein In New Doj Letter

Lawmakers who pushed nan Department of Justice to merchandise nan Epstein files are dissatisfied pinch its latest disclosure of high-profile names mentioned successful nan 3 cardinal documents, believing nan DOJ is being purposefully vague to protect those pinch adjacent ties to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

Saturday evening, nan DOJ sent a six-page missive to Congress, including nan names of celebrities, politicians, businesspeople and much who were mentioned astatine slightest erstwhile successful nan files. But nan extended database grounded to explicate really nan group are connected to nan pedophile financier and his chap offender.

Names ranged from President Donald Trump, who was erstwhile friends pinch Epstein but ceased connection earlier his 2008 Florida conviction, to apparently unrelated figures whose names hap to person been mentioned, for illustration Marilyn Monroe, nan Hollywood prima who died erstwhile Epstein was 9 years old, and nan vocalist Janis Joplin, who died successful 1970.

“The DOJ is erstwhile again purposefully muddying nan waters connected who was a predator and who was mentioned successful an email,” Rep. Ro Khanna, 1 of nan lawmakers starring nan effort, said connected X.

“To person Janis Joplin, who died erstwhile Epstein was 17, successful nan aforesaid database arsenic Larry Nassar, who went to situation for nan intersexual maltreatment of hundreds of young women and kid pornography, pinch nary explanation of really either was mentioned successful nan files is absurd,” Khanna added.

Khanna called connected nan DOJ to “stop protecting predators” and merchandise each nan files pinch only nan names of survivors redacted.

The Independent has asked nan Justice Department for comment.

The letter, which was required per nan Epstein Files Transparency Act, was sent to members of nan House and Senate Judiciary Committees. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said nan section had “released ‘all records, documents, communications and investigative materials successful possession of nan Department’ that subordinate to’ Epstein,” signaling it would beryllium nan last release.

It listed names of “politically exposed persons” named astatine slightest once. However, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche noted that nan lawmakers ne'er defined what that means.

As a result, names specified arsenic Elvis Presley, Janis Joplin, Cher, Beyonce and different notable celebrities are listed because they are mentioned successful emails. But that does not mean nan individuals had immoderate relationship with, aliases moreover knew, Epstein.

Current lawmakers, who whitethorn person been mentioned successful nan DOJ’s property briefings aliases FBI regular news emails, are besides mentioned.

“So 1 loser sends different loser a NEWS ARTICLE pinch my sanction successful it and nan screen up clan astatine nan DOJ wants to put maine successful nan aforesaid drawer arsenic Donald Trump,” Rep. Eric Swalwell wrote connected X.

Other lawmakers joined nan telephone for much disclosures, contempt nan DOJ signalling that the caller three-million-document dump is nan last merchandise of nan Epstein files.

Republican Rep. Nancy Mace, who has besides helped lead nan effort for transparency connected Epstein, said that nan Justice Department is “missing names” connected nan list. She besides promised to push for much disclosures.

“I want to beryllium abundantly clear astir nan DOJ memo released tonight: Citing ‘Work Product Privilege’ will NOT prevention nan DOJ from releasing each nan Epstein files,” Mace wrote.

“If they tin springiness nan names, past they tin springiness them successful unredacted files. The database is an admittance that they tin region those redactions,” she added.

“Not buying this astatine each and Americans shouldn’t either. I went to nan ‘unredacted’ files yesterday and HUNDREDS of pages are still wholly blacked out,” Rep. Laura Friedman said connected X.

Although much than 3 cardinal documents person been released, officials initially indicated six cardinal files could beryllium released. Some documents are being withheld because they meet nan criteria laid retired by Congress successful nan enactment – specified arsenic protecting nan aesculapian privateness of victims, containing images aliases descriptions of kid intersexual abuse, being progressive successful an ongoing prosecution, aliases different reasoning.

Members of Congress, specified arsenic Khanna and his co-sponsor connected nan Epstein files push, Rep. Thomas Massie, person viewed nan unredacted type of nan files astatine nan DOJ. They’ve accused Bondi and different officials of purposefully redacting nan names of powerful individuals to protect them from prosecution.

No personification mentioned connected nan database has been charged pinch a crime associated pinch Epstein and Maxwell’s crimes, different than nan 2 themselves. Being named successful nan Epstein files does not mean a personification participated in, aliases moreover knew of, Epstein and Maxwell’s crimes.

Epstein died by termination while awaiting proceedings successful a New York jailhouse successful 2019, while Maxwell is serving a 20-year situation condemnation for activity trafficking offenses.