Judge orders Justice Department to release more Epstein files

A US federal judge has ordered the Justice Department to either release additional unredacted files related to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein or explain why the information must remain hidden, media reports said Thursday. US District Judge Emmet Sullivan gave the government until July 2 to comply with the order, which stems from a lawsuit accusing acting Attorney General Todd Blanche of improperly redacting documents, according to CBS News.

Records in question

The records include eight emails with redacted senders or recipients, a draft indictment of Epstein with the names of potential co‑conspirators obscured, and a 2019 email mentioning several co‑conspirators whose identities were blacked out. Sullivan also ordered the release of interview notes underlying FBI documents summarising unverified allegations against President Trump, or an explanation of why they cannot be disclosed. The court further directed the government to provide a log of every redaction made to the Epstein files.

Legal battle

The ruling follows months of controversy over the department’s handling of Epstein‑related records. Millions of pages have been released since December. The lawsuit was filed in April by journalist Katie Phang, who argued that redactions violated federal law. In a 48‑page opinion, Sullivan concluded Phang had the right to sue and said the Freedom of Information Act “does not provide an adequate remedy.” Phang’s attorney said: “The government thought that it could ignore its own law and blow off a judge’s order.”