Top Democrats on Thursday accused Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Justice Department of a “cover-up” regarding their handling of the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
“We’re here today to put a shot across the bow of the Department of Justice and the Trump administration that we are going to reveal this massive cover-up,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said at a news conference. “We will not rest. It’s an all-out oversight effort, we’re going to pull on every thread. We’re going to chase every lead. We’ll talk with whistleblowers.”
Outside a House Oversight Committee deposition of former Secretary of State and First Lady Hillary Clinton related to Epstein, Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the committee, also accused the Justice Department of a cover-up.
“At this very moment, the Department of Justice continues to lead a White House cover-up, and we are going to be demanding over the next few days that the remaining files that have not been released get released to the public,” Garcia said.
Garcia added that the withheld files appear to include accusations against former President Trump. “It is unconscionable, it is illegal, and Pam Bondi and the president need to answer where those files are,” he said.
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment on the Democrats’ allegations. However, in a statement posted on X on Wednesday, the DOJ vowed to publish any documents if they are “found to have been improperly tagged in the review process.”
“Several individuals and news outlets have recently flagged files related to documents produced to Ghislaine Maxwell in discovery of her criminal case that they claim appear to be missing,” the DOJ statement explained. “As with all documents that have been flagged by the public, the Department is currently reviewing files within that category of the production. Should any document be found to have been improperly tagged in the review process and is responsive to the Act, the Department will of course publish it, consistent with the law.”
Schumer and Sen. Dick Durbin, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, also revealed that they sent a letter to the Justice Department and the FBI requesting the preservation of records concerning the management of the Epstein files during the Trump administration.
The Democrats accused the Trump administration of “mishandling the files for a year” and claimed that after Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the White House broke the law by producing the vast majority of files after the deadline.
They further alleged violations of the law concerning protections for victims by releasing some records without redacting personally identifiable information, including nude photos where names and faces could be identified.
Last month, Blanche and Bondi wrote to Congress stating that more than 500 attorneys and others had been involved in reviewing the documents.
In a statement issued on January 30, the DOJ said, “The Department coordinated closely with victims and their lawyers to ensure that the production of documents includes necessary redactions. We want to immediately correct any redaction errors that our team may have made; so, the Department has established an email inbox for victims to reach us directly to correct redaction concerns when appropriate.”
Former President Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing or knowledge of Epstein’s crimes.
Senator Durbin criticized the administration’s handling of the files, stating, “It’s clear that Donald Trump and his Republican enablers are executing a cover-up and conceal strategy. Heads are rolling at the highest levels in the United Kingdom. Will heads roll in the United States?”
He added, “As I told General Bondi during last year’s Judiciary Committee oversight hearing, quote, ‘Eventually, you’re going to have to answer for your conduct in this. You won’t do it today but eventually you will.'”
The controversy continues as lawmakers seek full transparency regarding the Epstein case files and accountability from those involved.
https://abcnews.com/Politics/top-democrats-accuse-bondi-doj-epstein-files-cover/story?id=130541245