By STEPHEN GROVES and SEUNG MIN KIM
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Division of Justice has expanded its evaluate of paperwork associated to the convicted intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein to five.2 million because it additionally will increase the variety of attorneys making an attempt to adjust to a legislation mandating launch of the information, based on an individual briefed on a letter despatched to U.S. Attorneys.
The determine is the newest estimate within the increasing evaluate of case information on Epstein and his longtime girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell that has run greater than every week previous a deadline set in legislation by Congress.
The Justice Division has greater than 400 attorneys assigned to the evaluate, however doesn’t anticipate to launch extra paperwork till Jan. 20 or 21, based on the individual briefed on the letter who spoke on the situation of anonymity as a result of they weren’t licensed to debate it.
The increasing scope of the disclosure and the extra authorized firepower dedicated to it confirmed how the Epstein file investigation will proceed to occupy important consideration in Congress and the White Home, virtually guaranteeing that it stays a potent political power as the brand new 12 months rolls towards midterm elections.
An e-mail that was included within the U.S. Division of Justice launch of the Jeffrey Epstein information is photographed Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. (AP Photograph/Jon Elswick)
Blanche stated Wednesday that attorneys from the Justice Division in Washington, the FBI, the Southern District of Florida, and the Southern District of New York are working “around the clock” to evaluate the information. The extra paperwork and attorneys associated to the case had been first reported by The New York Instances.
“We’re asking as many lawyers as possible to commit their time to review the documents that remain,” Blanche stated. “Required redactions to protect victims take time, but they will not stop these materials from being released.”
Nonetheless, Legal professional Normal Pam Bondi is going through stress from Congress after the Justice Division’s rollout of knowledge has lagged behind the Dec. 19 deadline to launch the knowledge.
“Should Attorney General Pam Bondi be impeached?” Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican who helped lead the hassle to go the legislation mandating the doc launch, requested on social media this week.
Democrats are also reviewing their authorized choices as they proceed to grab on a difficulty that has brought about cracks within the Republican Celebration and, at occasions, flummoxed President Donald Trump’s administration.
Senate Democratic Chief Chuck Schumer stated on social media that the newest figures from the Division of Justice “shows Bondi, Blanche, and others at the DOJ have been lying to the American people about the Epstein files since day one” and identified that the paperwork launched up to now represented a fraction of the entire.
What’s anticipated subsequent
A late January launch of paperwork would put the Division of Justice greater than a month behind the deadline set in legislation, however some key lawmakers appeared prepared to let the method play out earlier than making an attempt to take direct motion in opposition to the Trump administration.
Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who additionally led the hassle to go the legislation requiring the discharge, advised The Related Press that the Justice Division’s increasing evaluate confirmed that the legislation is working.
“We are willing to give DOJ a few extra weeks to comply, provided they release the survivors’ statements to the FBI naming the other rich and powerful men who abused them or covered up and the prosecution memos about charges that were dropped against Epstein and co-conspirators,” he stated. “When all the information comes out, this will shock the conscience of the nation.”
Massie has additionally stated that he needs to see the discharge of statements that victims gave to the FBI. He has claimed that these may disclose the names of influential enterprise figures and political donors who had been concerned or complicit in Epstein’s abuse.
The pair has additionally argued that the increasing disclosure is proof that extra folks had been concerned moreover Epstein and Maxwell.
What may the information imply for the midterms?
The Trump administration has already struggled to maneuver previous the Epstein information for the higher a part of final 12 months. Whereas it’s not clear what else might be proven within the information, it is going to virtually actually give Democrats continued fodder to proceed to grab on the problem.
Up to now, Democrats, despite the fact that they’re within the minority, have pressured Congress to behave on a difficulty that has brought about splits in Trump’s political base.
A tranche of paperwork launched simply earlier than Christmas confirmed that Trump flew on Epstein’s non-public jet within the Nineteen Nineties, after they had a friendship earlier than a falling out. However the paperwork revealed little new details about their relationship. The preliminary launch of paperwork additionally confirmed a number of photographs of former President Invoice Clinton with girls whose faces had been blacked out.
Republicans on the Home Oversight Committee have honed in on the connections to Clinton and are searching for to power him and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to look for a deposition in January.
Nonetheless, Democrats are attempting to point out that the Trump administration’s dealing with of the Epstein information exhibits that it can’t be trusted and is extra involved concerning the welfare of the wealthy and well-known than working-class voters.
“Unlike the President, we don’t care who’s in the files,” stated Rep. Robert Garcia, the highest Democrat on the oversight panel, on social media. “Anyone that’s involved in the abuse of women and girls should be held accountable.”
