Epstein DOJ files face technical glitches and heavy redaction criticism

The Justice Division’s efforts to launch all its information associated to the intercourse trafficking instances of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell by the statutory deadline fell wanting expectations on Friday, leading to complaints starting from technological glitches to extreme redactions and lacking paperwork.

Simply after 3 p.m., the long-awaited web site containing the paperwork went stay with a message informing guests that they had been “in line.” The web page by no means progressed and crashed often. As soon as the information turned seen, some individuals reported that they had been nonetheless unable to entry the web site.

“I needed to wait in line for these Epstein information prefer it’s a 2019 Yeezy drop,” says one person wrote on X.

The regulation required the information to be searchable, however New York College regulation professor Ryan Goodman was amongst those that famous that the search bar function the web site additionally didn’t reliably seize the content material. Some on the left identified that President Donald Trump’s identify didn’t initially seem in any of the paperwork. Trump was certainly one of Epstein’s many rich mates earlier than Epstein was indicted. The search bar appeared to work Friday night.

SCHUMER ACCUSES TRUMP ADMIN OF ‘COVER-UP’ OF EPSTEIN FILES AGAINST DOCUMENT DISPUTE

The Justice Division launched a trove of Epstein paperwork on December 19, following President Donald Trump’s signing of the Epstein Recordsdata Transparency Act in November. (Joe Schildhorn/Patrick McMullan by way of Getty Photos)

The most typical criticism, nevertheless, centered on what critics described as an incomplete version and in depth redactions. The DOJ has mentioned it was essential to redact info that would determine victims or minors.

In a letter to Congress, Deputy Lawyer Basic Todd Blanche praised the DOJ’s efforts to satisfy its obligations underneath the Epstein Recordsdata Transparency Act as “historic.”

Blanche mentioned the paperwork underwent a rigorous assessment and redaction course of involving greater than 200 attorneys and that sure DOJ elements this week produced tranches of information that required extra time to assessment. He mentioned he anticipated the remainder of the information to be uploaded to the web site inside two weeks.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., speaks alongside Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., throughout a press convention on the Epstein Recordsdata Transparency Act exterior the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Heather Diehl/Getty Photos)

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., highlighted the statutory language of the Epstein Recordsdata Transparency Act on X.

“Sadly, right this moment’s doc launch by @AGPamBondi and @DAGToddBlanche grossly fails to satisfy the spirit of the letter of the regulation that @realDonaldTrump signed simply 30 days in the past,” Massie wrote.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., a co-sponsor of the laws, mentioned he and Massie had been “exploring all choices,” together with potential contempt proceedings or different actions in opposition to DOJ officers.

“It is an incomplete launch with too many redactions,” Khanna mentioned.

DOJ PUBLISHES TROVE OF ESTEIN FILES, SAYS MORE AFTER FRIDAY DEADLINE

Lawyer Basic Pam Bondi speaks with President Donald Trump about current Supreme Court docket rulings within the White Home briefing room on June 27, 2025 in Washington, DC (Joe Raedle/Getty Photos)

Tim Younger, media officer on the conservative Heritage Basis, has edited the editorial staff into one message on X and poked enjoyable at Lawyer Basic Pam Bondi concerning the DOJ’s botched rollout of already public data earlier this yr. Bondi had given dossiers to right-wing social media influencers in February, however the paperwork had been faux and enraged a faction of Trump’s base.

Rep. Robert Garcia, D-California, appeared on MSNOW Friday night and accused the administration of “breaking the regulation.”

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Nonetheless, the DOJ stays dedicated to its work, saying in a web based assertion that “President Trump’s DOJ gives historic transparency whereas defending victims.”

Fox Information Digital has contacted the DOJ for remark.