“The Attorney General’s arguments are unpersuasive. First, Ms. Phang has identified ‘some concrete consequences of not receiving the information,’” Sullivan said. “She has identified ‘half a dozen stories she is currently unable to report’ because the Attorney General has not disclosed the information.”
A federal judge has determined that the Trump administration effectively admitted to breaking a recently-passed law requiring the public release of most of the “Epstein files.”
According to POLITICO, U.S. District Judge Emett Sullivan found that Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche conceded these violations by failing to address related claims made by independent journalist Katie Phang in a lawsuit seeking broader access to the records, particularly those involving allegations against President Donald Trump.
“The Attorney General does not respond substantively to any of these arguments,” Sullivan said. “The Attorney General has conceded that he is in violation of the Act.”
Sullivan’s order also gave Blanche and the Justice Department one week to release certain names and other information redacted from millions of the files already released; if the government cannot and or will not comply with this order, Sullivan demanded that it provide a reasonable explanation for its failure to do so.
POLITICO notes that records subject to the order include notes of FBI interviews with a woman who claimed that, as a 13-year-old in the 1980s, Epstein introduced her to Trump, who subsequently assaulted her. It would also uncover the email addresses of eight people involved in exchanges with Epstein about a “torture video” and sexual contact with minors.
In his ruling, Sullivan dismissed several of the government’s arguments against a general records release, panning them as generally “unpersuasive.”
“The Attorney General’s arguments are unpersuasive. First, Ms. Phang has identified ‘some concrete consequences of not receiving the information,’” Sullivan said. “She has identified ‘half a dozen stories she is currently unable to report’ because the Attorney General has not disclosed the information.”
Sullivan also rejected the argument that Phang could have requested documents through the Freedom of Information Act, noting that the Justice Department has previously acknowledged that the Epstein Files Transparency Act “directed a much broader and less redacted release of the files than would have been made under the FOI. Certain exemptions which may have been made under FOIU were not made” in the case of the Epstein files, the judge noted.
A spokesperson for the Justice Department has since contested the language used by Sullivan in his order, proclaiming that Blanche has not “conceded” any violation of federal law.
“Judge Sullivan’s perverse interpretation appears to be focused on driving misleading headlines. This judge is suggesting DOJ violate the law by un-redacting victim names, who as the Department has always explained, sadly became co-conspirators,” an agency spokesperson said. “DOJ has produced all responsive documents and will appeal this decision with confidence.”
An attorney for Phang, the journalist behind the lawsuit, said that Sullivan’s ruling was the logical outcome of the Justice Department’s strong-headed approach to the case.
“The government ignored its own law and blew off a judge’s order, all for the sake of protecting the very powerful and the very rich,” attorney Brandan Ballou said. “Doing so had consequences, and now the public will finally get transparency around Jeffrey Epstein and his network.”
Sources
Todd Blanche ‘conceded’ violating law on Epstein files, judge finds
Judge orders DOJ to either unredact more Epstein files or explain why they must stay blacked out
Judge orders DOJ to produce, unredact sought after Epstein files
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