Epstein File Deadline Arrives as Attention Shifts to Venezuela — Lawmakers Push for Full Release

As public attention briefly shifted toward developments in Venezuela, another high-stakes deadline quietly arrived: the statutory date by which the Department of Justice (DOJ) was expected to explain redactions in its Jeffrey Epstein document productions.

Timing and Political Reaction

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee flagged the coincidence on X, noting the deadline fell while other major news dominated headlines. "We are sure it's just a coincidence, but today is the statutory date for the DOJ to explain its redactions in the Epstein file productions," the committee wrote. The post added: "We have not forgotten, and we won't let up—regardless of the President's new unconstitutional actions." The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.

Oversight Dems/X

Controversy Over Redactions and Deleted Files

Although the DOJ missed the initial deadline to make the full Epstein files public, the administration has come under scrutiny for heavily redacting large portions of the released documents. The situation intensified after the DOJ removed 16 files from its website, including a photo reportedly showing former President Donald Trump with Jeffrey Epstein.

The DOJ says redaction decisions were made to balance competing legal concerns, such as executive-privilege issues and the privacy of victims. Critics, however, argue that explanation does not account for the millions of documents that remain unreleased and late.

A picture of Trump and Epstein was in Epstein's desk drawer and scrubbed from the DOJ's Epstein files dump. / X / House Oversight Democrats

Lawmakers Seek Court Intervention

Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna and Republican Rep. Thomas Massie — who have been pushing for transparency — announced plans to bypass the DOJ and ask the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York to appoint a special master to oversee the review and full release of the documents.

"What I want to see over these next few weeks is for the documents actually to start coming out that the American people want to see—and the survivors want to see—which is the documents that name the rich and powerful men who are on Epstein's rape island," Khanna told NPR's Michel Martin.

Possible Contempt Proceedings and DOJ Timeline

The pair is also seeking to hold Attorney General Pam Bondi in contempt of Congress, a step that could trigger fines for each day the DOJ fails to produce the documents in full.

Reps. Thomas Massie, Ro Khanna and Marjorie Taylor Greene have spearheaded the effort to get the files released. / Heather Diehl / Getty Images

The DOJ estimates it will not complete the remaining reviews until at least Jan. 20, saying on social media that "we have lawyers working around the clock to review and make the legally required redactions to protect victims, and we will release the documents as soon as possible." The agency has reportedly enlisted roughly 400 lawyers to assist with the review and redaction process.

What Lawmakers Want

Khanna and Massie emphasize they are less focused on timing and more concerned about the substance of the withheld materials. They say they want survivors' FBI statements that may name other powerful figures, and draft prosecution memos that could shed light on alleged cover-ups and broader networks of abuse.

What to watch next: whether the court appoints a special master, whether contempt proceedings move forward, and whether the DOJ meets its revised Jan. 20 timeline for completing document reviews.