The U.S. Justice Department has once again requested the unsealing of grand jury transcripts related to the sex trafficking cases of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. This request is based on the newly enacted Epstein Files Transparency Act, which mandates the government to disclose files concerning the late financier and his associate. U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton, along with U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, filed court documents urging federal judges Richard Berman and Paul A. Engelmayer to reconsider their previous decisions to keep the records sealed.
According to the Justice Department’s filings, the transparency act obligates the release of grand jury and discovery materials in a searchable and downloadable format by December 19, within 30 days of the law being signed by President Donald Trump. The Department has indicated its commitment to comply with the new legislation.
The government has proposed redacting sensitive information, such as victims’ personal details, before making the materials public. Manhattan federal judge Paul A. Engelmayer has invited responses from Maxwell, Epstein’s victims, and the government regarding the release of the grand jury materials, setting deadlines for submissions and subsequent rulings.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act compels the Justice Department, FBI, and federal prosecutors to disclose extensive investigative materials related to Epstein’s long history of sexual abuse. Judge Richard Berman previously justified keeping the transcripts sealed by highlighting the vast amount of investigative data already in possession of the Justice Department.
While the Justice Department has emphasized the importance of transparency, some judges have denied public access to materials from the Epstein investigations. The grand jury proceeding mainly featured an FBI agent’s testimony, described as hearsay, along with a presentation and call log, ultimately leading to Epstein’s indictment before his subsequent arrest and death.
The Justice Department’s initial request to unseal the grand jury materials was made in response to public pressure following President Trump’s previous commitment to openness regarding the Epstein case. The judges remain cautious about releasing grand jury materials, emphasizing the limited new information that could be gleaned from their contents.