Epstein files live: Whistleblowers could hold key, says Democrat, while Bondi tweet provokes fierce backlash

The DOJ admitted on Sunday it has “hundreds of thousands” of pages from the Epstein files it has yet to release, despite a Friday legal deadline to share the files with the public.

In an X post, the Justice Department said the delays were because of efforts to ensure releases complied with court orders and protected the identities of victims and minors.

“NO redactions have been or will be made to protect famous individuals or political exposed persons, “ the department wrote.

A team of roughly 200 lawyers is working on reviewing the files, the DOJ added.

The newly released Epstein files include a reference to a 2020 lawsuit describing the late pedophile’s approach of a girl thought to be his first victim.

The lawsuit alleges that in 1994, Epstein and his now-imprisoned associate Ghislaine Maxwell approached a 13-year-old, whose name is anonymous in the filing, at the prestigious Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan.

At the time, the teen was a student there and Epstein “bragged to her about being a patron of the arts,” according to the lawsuit.

Epstein and Maxwell allegedly asked the girl numerous questions about her background, and later proceeded to “groom” the teen over a number of years when she returned to her home in Florida.

Epstein allegedly sexually abused the girl on multiple occasions and insisted she call him “godfather,” according to the suit.

The lawsuit also claims that Epstein once introduced the teen to Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, at which point “Epstein elbowed Trump playfully asking, referring [to teen], “‘This is a good one, right?’”

By 1999, the girl had moved to Los Angeles and cut ties with Epstein, according to the suit.

The Independent has contacted the White House for comment.

The president has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing or knowledge associated with Epstein’s abuses and trafficking.

The allegations appear to match those made in a book about Epstein.

The Justice Department has now republished a highly scrutinized photo from the Epstein files showing a drawer with pictures of Donald Trump, which it had previously removed from circulation.

In the photo, one of the images visible appeared to show Trump standing with a group of women, while another was a well-known image of Trump, Melania Trump, Epstein, and Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

When observers noticed the photo had gone missing, Democrats accused the administration of orchestrating a cover-up.

“The Southern District of New York flagged an image of President Trump for potential further action to protect victims,” the Justice Department wrote on X of the restored image. “Out of an abundance of caution, the Department of Justice temporarily removed the image for further review. After the review, it was determined there is no evidence that any Epstein victims are depicted in the photograph, and it has been reposted without any alteration or redaction.”

The removed photo was just one of multiple files that were released then deleted over the course of this weekend.

Catch up on the whole controversy here.

The Trump administration is on the defensive, facing accusations it is illegally slow-walking the release of the Epstein files.

Attorney General Pam Bondi on Sunday seemed to add fuel to the fire with an X post where she vowed the DOJ would “bring charges against anyone involved in the trafficking and exploitation of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims.”

“Your promise to prosecute rich & powerful men who were at Epstein’s rape island would be more credible if you stop breaking @RepThomasMassie & my law,” Rep. Ro Khanna wrote on X in response. “Release the draft 60 count indictment, 82 page prosecution memo and the FBI files.”

“Unfortunately, @AGPambondi is breaking the law,” Massie added in his own X post. “Epstein survivors aren’t satisfied with the DOJ’s incomplete and redacted Epstein files disclosures, and neither am I. Congress should assert its ability to hold Bondi in ‘inherent contempt’ to get justice for the survivors.”

Garcia, the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, slammed the Trump administration for saying for months that the files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were ready to be released – only to heavily redact the materials and miss the legal deadline for releasing them in full.

“To spend this entire period of time, the last few months, claiming that you have the files ready to be released… And then this all-out effort to hide them from the public, to stop the will of Congress, to not answer the oversight subpoena. What they need to understand is that there are hundreds of FBI agents and others that are good American patriots that have worked to put these files together. They know what is in them,” Garcia said Sunday on MS NOW.

Garcia urged anyone at the FBI or Department of Justice who worked on the Epstein files – who believes their work is currently being hidden – to come forward to the Oversight Committee.

Isbael Keane has the story.

As the Trump administration faces criticism it hasn’t done enough to release the full Epstein files on time, Attorney General Pam Bondi on Sunday reiterated the DOJ’s vow to continuing prosecuting those tied to Epstein’s trafficking ring.

“The Department of Justice previously stated we will bring charges against anyone involved in the trafficking and exploitation of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims,” she wrote on X. “We reaffirm this commitment, and ask any victim to please come forward with any information pertaining to any individuals who engaged in illicit activity at their expense.”

“We have met with many victims and victims groups, and will continue to do so if more reach out,” she added. “We believe in the equal standard of justice in this country and will ensure that Justice is served.”

Lawmakers in the House are threatening to bring inherent contempt proceedings against Attorney General Pam Bondi, following accusations the DOJ has failed to comply with a November law mandating the release of the Epstein files.

“The quickest, and I think, most expeditious way to get justice for these victims is to bring inherent contempt against Pam Bondi, and that doesn’t require going through the courts,” Republican Rep. Thomas Massie told CBS’s Face the Nation on Sunday.

“We do not just do memes or speeches,” Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat partnering with Massie on the effort, wrote on X of the contempt process. “We take action to fight a corrupt system.”

Inherent contempt refers to a congressional power, rarely used in modern times, that allows lawmakers to punish individuals who are not complying with their investigatory powers, according to the Congressional Research Service, including by imprisoning or fining them.

When asked about these plans on Sunday on NBC’s Meet The Press, Deputy Attorney Todd Blanche brushed off the threats, saying he wasn’t even “a little bit” concerned.

“Bring it on,” he said. “We are doing everything we’re supposed to be doing to comply with this statute.”