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Lawmakers Accuse DOJ of Shielding Elites in “Scrubbed” Epstein File Release

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Bipartisan congressional team claims the FBI failed to unseal the names of powerful associates, prompting an immediate scramble by the Justice Department to reverse redactions.

Congressional representatives responsible for the Epstein Files Transparency Act (EFTA) have accused the Department of Justice of violating federal law by releasing heavily redacted documents that obscure the identities of potential co-conspirators. Following a review of the unredacted source material on Monday, lawmakers alleged that the FBI had “scrubbed” the files earlier this year to protect high-profile figures.

Democratic Representative Ro Khanna and Republican Representative Thomas Massie, co-sponsors of the legislation, reported finding a specific document listing approximately 20 individuals where nearly every name—save for Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell—had been blacked out. Massie asserted that at least six of these concealed names likely belong to men implicated in criminal activity.

“Rich and Powerful” Protected

The dispute centers on internal FBI protocols. According to Khanna, the files provided to the DOJ for release retained redactions originally applied by the FBI in March. He argued this directly contravenes the EFTA, which President Donald Trump signed into law last November with near-unanimous congressional support.

They need to unscrub the FBI files so we know who the rich and powerful men are who raped underage girls.

Massie criticized the Justice Department for failing to do its “homework,” noting that the legally mandated declassification process was short-circuited by pre-existing FBI censorship. He publicly posted screenshots of the redacted files, demanding accountability.

Justice Department Responds

The allegations triggered a rapid response from the Trump administration. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche engaged directly with the lawmakers on social media platform X, denying any intent to hide information. “The DOJ is committed to transparency,” Blanche stated, announcing that the department had immediately moved to un-redact non-victim names from the contested documents.

Blanche subsequently released updated versions of the files, revealing the previously hidden name of a prominent retired CEO. However, tensions flared over a document referencing a “Sultan” and a “torture video.” While Massie demanded the sender’s identity be exposed, Blanche countered that the redaction merely covered an email address to protect personally identifiable information, calling Massie’s complaints “grandstanding.”

SOURCES: MS NOW, X (formerly Twitter), Department of Justice Press Office.

This report has been significantly transformed from original source material for journalistic purposes, falling under ‘Fair Use’ doctrine for news reporting. The content is reconstructed to provide original analysis and reporting while preserving the factual essence of the source.

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Lawmakers Accuse DOJ of Shielding Elites in “Scrubbed” Epstein File Release
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