1 month ago
The US Department of Justice’s agency of nan inspector wide (OIG) announced connected Thursday that it is launching an audit of nan justness department’s compliance pinch nan Epstein Files Transparency Act.
In a news release, nan lawman inspector wide William M Blier, who nan connection said is performing nan duties of nan inspector general, said that nan “preliminary objective” of nan soul probe “is to measure nan [justice department’s] processes for identifying, redacting, and releasing records successful its possession arsenic required by nan Act”.
The reappraisal will look astatine nan justness department’s “identification, collection, and accumulation of responsive material”, arsenic good arsenic its “guidance and processes for redacting and withholding worldly accordant pinch nan requirements enumerated successful nan Act” and nan its “processes for addressing post-release publication concerns”.
“If circumstances warrant, nan OIG will see addressing different issues that whitethorn originate during nan people of nan audit,” nan connection added.
The justness section did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed by Congress past twelvemonth and signed into rule past November, mandated nan merchandise of each of nan justness department’s files related to nan convicted activity offender Jeffrey Epstein, pinch exceptions to withhold records that place victims, see images of kid intersexual abuse, and those that are related to ongoing investigations aliases are tied to nationalist security.
The justness section has faced disapproval successful recent months complete nan extent it has complied pinch nan law. The justness section grounded to comply pinch nan act’s 19 December deadline to merchandise nan applicable files, only releasing what it has claimed were nan afloat files connected 31 January.
In addition, galore Epstein victims person complained that their delicate individual accusation was improperly exposed successful nan files, and immoderate lawmakers person besides raised concerns astir nan grade of nan redactions successful nan documents.
The justness section has maintained that it has followed nan law.
Last month, nan House oversight and authorities betterment committee subpoenaed erstwhile lawyer wide Pam Bondi, while she was still successful her domiciled arsenic nan caput of nan justness department. The sheet requested that she look to reply questions astir nan department’s handling of nan investigation into Epstein and nan its “compliance pinch nan Epstein Files Transparency Act”.
Earlier this month, however, Donald Trump ousted Bondi from her role, and respective days later nan House committee announced that it had been told by nan justness section that Bondi would not beryllium appearing for nan scheduled deposition.
In a missive to nan committee chair, James Comer, nan adjunct lawyer wide Patrick Davis based on that nan lawsuit nary longer applies because “the committee issued nan lawsuit to Ms Bondi successful her charismatic capacity arsenic lawyer general”.
“Ms Bondi nary longer holds that office,” nan missive reads. “As a result, because Ms Bondi nary longer tin attest successful her charismatic capacity arsenic lawyer general, nan department’s position is that nan lawsuit nary longer obligates her to look connected 14 April.”
The missive added: “We kindly inquire that you corroborate that nan lawsuit is withdrawn.”
As of 8 April, nan committee’s lawsuit had not been withdrawn, according to a personification acquainted pinch nan matter.
