Overview
- A bipartisan quartet — Sens. Dick Durbin, Ben Ray Luján, Jeff Merkley, and Lisa Murkowski — asked the GAO to investigate the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein files.
- Their letter alleges the department missed the law’s December deadline and has not released all required records under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
- Lawmakers say the public release included victims’ email addresses and nude images that could identify them, while information tied to alleged coconspirators was heavily redacted.
- The senators want the GAO to determine how many employees worked on the review, the hours spent, any software or directives used, and whether political appointees approved redactions.
- Congressional scrutiny is escalating, with the House Oversight Committee subpoenaing Attorney General Pam Bondi and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse noting 37 unreleased pages tied to FBI interview notes.