Epstein Files: U.S. Lawmakers Raise Concerns Over Withholding Names of Involved Parties

SadaNews - U.S. Congress members began reviewing unredacted copies of the Justice Department's files related to billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, who was convicted of sex trafficking, on Tuesday.

Democratic Congressman Jamie Raskin expressed his concern over what he described as a potential violation of the law, due to the withholding of names of individuals believed to have conspired or collaborated with Epstein for unclear reasons, including protection from "embarrassment, political sensitivity, or shame."

Raskin stated that these files reveal potential manipulation of documents, adding that it is impossible for Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell to have solely operated the international child trafficking network.

Among the redacted files are documents that contradict U.S. President Donald Trump's statements about expelling Epstein from his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida.

According to the "Epstein Files Transparency Act" passed by Congress in November, the Justice Department is required to publish all documents related to the case, withholding only the information of victims, without the possibility of withholding the names of other individuals under claims of embarrassment, reputation, or political sensitivity.

Other lawmakers, such as Republican Thomas Massie and Democrat Ro Khanna, noted that the withholding has affected the names of prominent individuals who may be involved, and that this redaction may have occurred before the Justice Department received the files from the FBI or prosecutors.

The lawmakers refused to disclose the identities of the individuals they reviewed, but Massie stated that one of them "holds a senior position in a foreign government," while Khanna described one as a "very prominent person."

It is worth noting that Epstein was found dead in his cell in 2019 while awaiting trial, while Ghislaine Maxwell was only convicted on charges related to Epstein's case and is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence.

Maxwell refused to answer questions from the House committee unless she was granted a presidential pardon from Trump.

Trump attempted for months to prevent the release of Epstein's files, but eventually yielded under pressure from Republican lawmakers.