Senators Call for Audit
A group of twelve senators is urging an investigation into the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) failure to meet the deadline for releasing all records related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska, joined eleven Democratic colleagues in signing a letter asserting that the DOJ has not adhered to the Epstein Files Transparency Act. This act mandates the full release of Epstein-related documents with minimal redactions by December 19.
The letter, sent on Wednesday, requests Acting Inspector General Don Berthiaume to evaluate the department’s compliance with this law.
The correspondence states, “Given the Administration’s historic hostility to releasing the files, politicization of the Epstein case more broadly, and failure to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a neutral assessment of its compliance with the statutory disclosure requirements is essential.”
Many of the documents that have been released are reportedly so heavily redacted that there are significant concerns regarding whether the DOJ is correctly applying permissible exceptions for redaction under the Act.
The legislation specifies limited circumstances under which documents can be withheld or redacted. However, as the DOJ continues to release its materials related to Epstein, Congress finds it challenging to determine if any records were improperly withheld or edited.
This request follows Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer’s introduction of a resolution allowing the Senate to sue the DOJ for non-compliance with disclosure and deadline requirements.
On the deadline day, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche informed Congress that due to “the volume of materials,” documents would be released on a “rolling basis.” The DOJ attributes this staggered release schedule to its efforts in protecting victims’ identities.
The lawmakers argue that Acting Inspector General Dan Berthiaume is well-positioned to conduct an audit due to his complete access to these files.
After President Trump dismissed several inspectors general, Michael Horowitz retained his role as head of the DOJ’s internal watchdog before moving on as top inspector general at the Federal Reserve in June. Berthiaume was appointed as acting inspector general at DOJ in October.
