The U.S. Justice Department’s (DOJ) internal watchdog is launching an investigation into its adherence to a law requiring it to release all files related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
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The department had pledged to do so during Trump’s campaign, but later wavered on that commitment, prompting growing pressure from Republicans.
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It unsealed millions of documents at the end of January with extensive redactions and was accused of protecting high-profile individuals over victims whose identities were supposed to be protected.
Millions of documents were also withheld. Attorney General Todd Blanche said that most were duplicates.
The investigation also follows months of criticism from lawmakers and Epstein survivors over the department’s handling of the release of the files and comes less than a month after President Trump ousted former attorney general Pam Bondi, who, in the lead-up to her firing, was accused of pandering to him, of siding with perpetrators and abandoning victims.
During a February hearing, she refused to apologize to victims in attendance whose personal information was compromised in the release.
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In late March, a group of 100 Epstein survivors filed a class-action lawsuit against the Trump administration and Google, alleging that both failed to protect their identities in the release of the Epstein files.
Blanche told NBC News it was “horrible” and “inexcusable” that the victim’s information was published.
The watchdog review will focus on reviewing the DOJ’s “identification, collection, and production of responsive material” and “DOJ guidance and processes for redacting and withholding material consistent with the requirements enumerated in the Act,” as well as the “DOJ’s processes for addressing post-release publication concerns.”
The watchdog said it will publish its findings but did not provide a timeline.
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