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The Justice Department is again urging a federal court in Florida to unseal grand jury transcripts from the early federal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, arguing that Congress’ newly enacted Epstein Transparency Act now compels the public release of records long shielded from view.
In a filing submitted Friday, DOJ attorneys told the court that the law — which passed this week with overwhelming bipartisan support — requires the production of “all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials” related to the government’s handling of Epstein. The statute does not explicitly reference grand jury material, but DOJ argues the absence of an exemption means the department must disclose it.
“Public production of the grand jury material is therefore required,” the government wrote, adding that such material “is not exempt” under the Act. DOJ is asking the court to rule quickly to help the department meet the law’s 30-day release deadline.
The request centers on transcripts from 2005 and 2007, when federal prosecutors in Florida first examined allegations against Epstein before ultimately allowing him to enter a controversial non-prosecution agreement that critics say shielded him and unnamed associates from accountability.
As part of its motion, DOJ also asked the court to lift a protective order governing the case, saying it plans to make “appropriate redactions of victim-related and other personal identifying information” before any documents are released.
The petition marks the department’s latest attempt to obtain court approval to disclose grand jury materials tied to Epstein and his longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell. Earlier this year, DOJ asked courts in both New York and Florida to unseal similar records amid widespread backlash over the administration’s handling of public demands for transparency in the case. Those efforts were rejected by judges who cited strict federal rules protecting grand jury secrecy.
Pressure on the department intensified after DOJ released a memo stating it found no evidence that Epstein kept a so-called “client list” of powerful individuals he extorted or conspired with. The memo also reaffirmed that Epstein died by suicide in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges — conclusions that critics, including some lawmakers, have questioned.
Maxwell, who has denied wrongdoing, is serving a 20-year prison sentence in Texas after being convicted of child sex trafficking and other offenses related to Epstein’s scheme.
The Epstein Transparency Act passed the Senate unanimously and cleared the House in a 427-1 vote, reflecting rare bipartisan agreement that the federal government’s opaque handling of Epstein-related investigations demands full public accounting.
Whether courts will permit the release of grand jury material — historically among the most tightly protected records in the justice system — remains a central unresolved question as DOJ races to meet Congress’ disclosure deadline.
