Epstein reporter reveals insidious truth exposed by DOJ slow-walking release of the files

The Department of Justice appears to be outright ignoring its legal obligation to disclose files related to Jeffrey Epstein, and according to a new analysis from Julie K. Brown, this presents a dangerous situation in which "no laws are safe" from being ignored by Donald Trump.

The Epstein Files Transparency Act passed in both Chambers of Congress by overwhelming margins in November, compelling the DOJ to release of its files about its investigations into Epstein, a notorious deceased sex trafficker with links to numerous high-profile public figures. The deadline for the release of these files was Dec. 17, which was over a month ago, and so far only a small percentage of the files have been released in heavily redacted form, prompting outrage and calls for accountability from lawmakers and Epstein survivors alike.

The DOJ claimed when it released the small batch of files last month that considerable work was needed to prep the millions of files for release, specifically to make sure the names of victims and other innocent parties are not exposed. Given Trump's months-long resistance to releasing the files and his long-time friendship with Epstein, many in the public suspect that the DOJ is stalling the release of the files because they might implicate the president in the trafficker's crimes, or at least show that he was aware of them for years. Reports from last spring indicated that Trump had been informed that his name was in the files.

Brown is a veteran reporter widely credited with first bringing Epstein's story to national attention with her Miami Herald stories about his lenient plea deal from 2008. In a Substack piece published Friday, she cast doubt on the DOJ's stated reason for delaying the release of the files, suggesting that it is unrealistic that this much time would be needed for redactions if the department was not engaged in a massive cover-up.

"If all you are redacting is the names of victims, that could have been done efficiently months ago. And didn’t the DOJ already spend $1 million to scour the files last Spring?" Brown wrote. "In March, Bloomberg’s Jason Leopold reported that FBI Director Kash Patel had tasked 1,000 FBI agents to work on making the files ready for public review."

Brown further warned that if Congress allows the DOJ to keep ignoring the Epstein Files Transparency Act, as she believes it is doing, it poses a major risk for all laws in the future, as it creates a precedent for the administration to ignore any and all laws they disagree with.

"If Congressional leaders don’t respond, it means no legislation, no laws, are safe," Brown wrote. "What is to prevent others from ignoring laws passed by Congress? Are we just a nation that only complies with laws we like or agree with? If leaders of Congress do nothing, they will render all legislation they pass open to being ignored. Our founders considered the Rule of Law a cornerstone of our Democracy. It means that all people, including government officials, are equally accountable to the law. Ignoring this principle will cause significant harm to the foundations of all our institutions."

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