Members of Congress will gain access Monday to review unredacted Jeffrey Epstein files at the Justice Department, marking a significant escalation in congressional oversight following the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
According to two sources familiar with the DOJ’s plans, lawmakers will be allowed to examine the materials in person at department offices. The access, outlined in a letter to members permits lawmakers to review documents on DOJ computers but not handle physical copies.
Members must provide 24 hours’ notice, may take handwritten notes, and are prohibited from bringing electronic devices. The option is currently limited to members of Congress and excludes staff.
Leadership and members of the House and Senate Judiciary committees will receive priority, though all lawmakers are expected to have access over time. Attorney General Pam Bondi is scheduled to appear before the committee next Wednesday, and members have sought the opportunity to examine the files beforehand.
The review will be confined to approximately 3 million files that have already been made public. It will not include the broader trove of more than 6 million total documents the DOJ says it possesses in connection with the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche committed to providing congressional access when announcing the release of documents last Friday. Shortly afterward, Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif.—co-authors of the legislation that compelled the document release—formally requested access to the unredacted materials. Democrats on the Judiciary Committee submitted a similar request.
Jeffrey Epstein, a politically connected convicted sx offender, was charged in 2019 in Manhattan federal court with sex trafficking of minors. He died in his jail cell while awaiting trial; his death was ruled a suicide.
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