US Justice Department sends Congress Epstein files memo as criticism mounts over redactions

The US Justice Department has sent a letter to congressional leaders defending redactions in newly released Jeffrey Epstein files while providing a list of public figures named in the documents, a move that has intensified political disputes over transparency.

According to a report by The Hill on Saturday, citing Politico, the six-page letter was delivered to the Senate and House Judiciary committees and included "all government officials and politically exposed persons" referenced in the files.

The department said individuals appeared in a "wide variety of contexts," ranging from direct communications with Epstein or associate Ghislaine Maxwell to indirect mentions such as media references.

The inclusion of high-profile names, including President Donald Trump, without detailed explanations drew sharp criticism from lawmakers.

Rep. Ro Khanna said through the US social media company X that the DOJ was "purposefully muddying the waters on who was a predator and who was mentioned in an email," and added: "To have Janis Joplin, who died when Epstein was 17, in the same list as Larry Nassar, who went to prison for the sexual abuse of hundreds of young women and child pornography, with no clarification of how either was mentioned in the files is absurd."

He urged officials to "Release the full files. Stop protecting predators. Redact only the survivor's names."

- 'Political expediency and cheap clicks/demagoguery'

The debate follows complaints from members of Congress who reviewed unredacted material at a DOJ facility this week and described extensive masking of information they called unnecessary. Department officials have said the redactions were intended to protect victims' identities.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche criticized lawmakers after Khanna and Rep. Thomas Massie publicly revealed several previously concealed names, arguing on X that they had "forced the unmasking of completely random people" with no connection to Epstein or Maxwell.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon echoed that criticism, accusing them of prioritizing "political expediency and cheap clicks/demagoguery over justice and due process."

Separately, Rep. Nancy Mace also challenged the department's legal justification for withholding information, writing on X that citing "Work Product Privilege" would not prevent courts from compelling fuller disclosure and questioning claims that redactions were unrelated to reputational or political concerns.

The Justice Department did not immediately respond to The Hill's request for comment, as scrutiny continues over its handling of the Epstein investigation and document releases.