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DOJ Renews Push to Unseal Epstein Grand Jury Records, Citing New 'Epstein Files' Law

The Justice Department has renewed its request to unseal grand jury records tied to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, arguing a new federal law overrides typical secrecy rules. Earlier this year, three judges rejected a similar effort, noting the DOJ already holds extensive investigative material and that transcripts were unlikely to add significant new evidence. DOJ lawyers cite the Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed by President Trump, which requires most DOJ and FBI records to be released by mid‑December. The dispute is expected to hinge on statutory exceptions and judicial assessments of privacy and witness safety.

06:44 AM, 11/22/2025Politics

The Justice Department on Friday renewed its request that a federal judge unseal grand jury records connected to the criminal investigations of Jeffrey Epstein and his longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.

Earlier this year, three federal judges in Florida and New York rejected a similar bid. Those judges criticized the Justice Department’s hurried effort — undertaken amid political pressure after the FBI reported it had found no evidence linking Epstein’s alleged sex‑trafficking operation to a wide list of prominent figures — noting that the department already possessed extensive investigative materials it could release voluntarily.

Those judges also concluded the grand jury transcripts were limited in scope and unlikely to produce substantial new evidence about Epstein or Maxwell. The courts emphasized that grand jury secrecy serves important legal and privacy interests and should not be set aside lightly.

Justice Department attorneys now argue the legal landscape has changed. President Donald Trump recently signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which directs the DOJ and FBI to release most investigative files by mid‑December. The department contends the new law supersedes the usual statutory bar on public disclosure of grand jury material, except in narrowly defined circumstances.

"The Act does not exempt all grand jury transcripts from public production," Assistant U.S. Attorney Manolo Reboso wrote in a filing asking a Florida judge to order the release of the relevant grand jury records. "Public production of the grand jury material is therefore required."

The legislation was signed after it became clear it would pass with strong Republican support in Congress. Legal observers say the dispute is likely to turn on statutory exceptions and on judges’ assessments of privacy, witness safety and whether the transcripts would add meaningful new information beyond documents the DOJ already can and has released.

The timeline set by the law — mid‑December for public production of the records — means the issue could draw renewed public attention and potentially further litigation in the coming weeks.

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