Schumer Urges Senate To Sue DOJ Over Partial, Heavily Redacted Epstein File Release

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Monday urged colleagues to pursue legal action after the Justice Department issued a piecemeal, heavily redacted release of records related to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Schumer introduced a resolution that would authorize the Senate to file or join lawsuits aimed at forcing the Justice Department to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act — the law passed last month that required the disclosure of the records by the statutory deadline last Friday.

Schumer's Criticism

"Instead of transparency, the Trump administration released a tiny fraction of the files and blacked out massive portions of what little they provided," Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement. "This is a blatant cover-up." With no Republican backing, the measure is largely symbolic and the Senate is in recess until Jan. 5, more than two weeks after the law's deadline. Still, Democrats say the resolution keeps pressure on the Justice Department for fuller disclosure.

Justice Department Response

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the department's decision to publish records on a rolling basis through the end of the year, saying the staggered release and extensive redactions were necessary to protect survivors and obscure identifying information. Blanche said some items were briefly posted and then removed because they contained images or other sensitive material involving victims; the department plans to repost them after appropriate redactions.

"We are not redacting information around President Trump, around any other individual involved with Mr. Epstein, and that narrative, which is not based on fact at all, is completely false," Blanche told NBC's "Meet the Press."

What Was Released — And What Was Missing

The Justice Department has made tens of thousands of pages available, including photographs, interview transcripts, call logs, court records and other documents. But many pages were previously public or heavily redacted, and several widely anticipated items — including FBI victim interviews and internal memoranda that could shed light on charging decisions — were absent. Some expected references to prominent figures, such as Britain’s Prince Andrew, did not appear in the released material.

Among the items briefly posted and later removed was an image that included a photograph of former President Donald Trump alongside Epstein, Melania Trump and Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell; Justice officials said removal was to allow for redactions that protect victims.

Political Pushback

Blanche accused Democrats of politicizing the matter, saying the files "existed for years" with little public comment from Democrats until now. Democrats counter that the law was passed precisely to ensure public access and accountability, and they say the department's limited release undermines that goal.

The Associated Press' Kevin Freking contributed to this report.