At a Glance
- DOJ to review 5.2 million Epstein pages, up from earlier estimates
- Task spans Jan 5-Jan 20, involving roughly 400 staff
- Must meet a Dec 19 congressional deadline for public release
- Why it matters: transparency and victim protection hinge on timely redactions
The Justice Department has launched a massive review of its Epstein files, expanding the scope to 5.2 million pages and scrambling to meet a December 19 deadline set by a bipartisan law. The effort will last from January 5 to January 20 and involve about 400 lawyers and investigators.
DOJ Mobilizes Staff
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced that attorneys from the department’s headquarters, the FBI, and the Southern Districts of Florida and New York are working around the holidays to review the documents.
- Headquarters
- FBI
- Southern District of Florida
- Southern District of New York
Todd Blanche stated:
> ‘It truly is an all-hands-on-deck approach and we’re asking as many lawyers as possible to commit their time to review the documents that remain. Required redactions to protect victims take time but they will not stop these materials from being released. The Attorney General’s and this Administration’s goal is simple: transparency and protecting victims.’
Congressional Deadline and Political Fallout
The bipartisan law requires the DOJ to release the trove by Dec 19, a deadline the Trump administration missed. The political fallout has intensified, with lawmakers threatening contempt actions.
Chuck Schumer said:
> ‘I would introduce a resolution directing the Senate to initiate legal action against the DOJ for releasing only some of its records related to Epstein.’
Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie have also signaled intentions to pursue contempt proceedings.
Recent Releases and Claims
In a late-night X post on Dec 24, the DOJ said lawyers were working around the clock but may need a few more weeks due to volume.
DOJ stated:
> ‘Lawyers were ‘working around the clock to review and make the legally required redactions to protect victims,’ but because of the massive volume of material, the process ‘may take a few more weeks.”
A batch of 30,000 additional documents was released, including an email alleging that flight logs show President Donald Trump flew on Epstein’s plane at least eight times in the 1990s.
Ro Khanna tweeted:
> ‘.@RepThomasMassie & I will continue to keep the pressure on. After we said we are bringing contempt, the DOJ is now finding millions more documents to release. They need to release the 302 FBI statements & the emails on Epstein’s computer. The Epstein class must go.’
President Donald Trump reacted on Friday:
> ‘The DOJ is being forced to spend all of its time on this Democrat inspired Hoax. The Radical Left doesn’t want people talking about TRUMP & REPUBLICAN SUCCESS, only a long ago dead Jeffrey Epstein – Just another Witch Hunt!!!’
DOJ also noted that some documents contained ‘untrue and sensationalist claims made against President Trump that were submitted to the FBI right before the 2020 election.’
Timeline of Key Events
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Dec 19 | Congressional deadline for release |
| Dec 24 | DOJ X post about redactions |
| Dec ?? | 30,000 documents released |
| Jan 5-Jan 20 | DOJ review window |
Key Takeaways
- DOJ is reviewing 5.2 million pages to meet a Dec 19 deadline.
- The effort involves roughly 400 staff over Jan 5-Jan 20.
- Politicians are pressing for full disclosure, threatening contempt actions.
The DOJ’s push to complete the review will ultimately determine whether the public can see the full extent of the Epstein files.
