Department of Justice

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Judge in Comey case scolds prosecutors as he orders them to produce records from probe

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A federal judge on Wednesday ordered prosecutors in the criminal case of former FBI Director James Comey to produce to defense lawyers a trove of materials from the investigation, saying he was concerned the Justice Department’s position had been to “indict first” and investigate second.

https://apnews.com/article/comey-justice-department-trump-a342c81a84c72917a33e6627afa0b35f?

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Man who threw sandwich at federal agent in Washington is found not guilty of assault charge

WASHINGTON (AP) — A former Justice Department employee who threw a sandwich at a federal agent during President Donald Trump’s law enforcement surge in Washington was found not guilty of assault on Thursday in the latest legal rebuke of the federal intervention.

https://apnews.com/article/sandwich-throwing-trial-justice-department-a2776c568a1ea4b8ce5b6af606669b63?

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⚖️ Dem resistance stymies doxxing case

The Justice Department's push to investigate a progressive activist accused of doxxing top Trump adviser Stephen Miller has been stymied by two judges and a Virginia prosecutor, Axios' Marc Caputo writes from court records and state and federal law enforcement sources.

• Why it matters: The case — ostensibly a battle over free speech rights — exposes the sharp partisan divide between Northern Virginia's Democratic resistance and President Trump's MAGA government, just across the Potomac River.

The backstory: The case began in September when a 66-year-old retiree named Barbara Wien was spotted posting flyers in Miller's neighborhood in Arlington, Va.

• The flyers included a photo of Miller — the White House deputy chief of staff for policy, and homeland security adviser — with a red circle and a cross through it and said, "NO NAZIS IN NOVA," court records show.

Wien walked by the Millers' home that day and made eye contact with Miller's wife, Katie Miller — now a podcaster, who was an official in the first Trump administration, and Elon Musk adviser at the start of this administration — who was on the front porch.

• She made an "I'm watching you" gesture by pointing her index and middle finger to her eye, a frame grab from a Secret Service surveillance video shows.
• Wien's lawyer said she broke no laws and is a harmless academic "in the field of peace studies." He accused the Justice Department of trying to quash lawful dissent.

? Zoom out: Miller and his family were moved from their Arlington home to a military base as the Wien case has unfolded.

• Other high-level Trump administration officials also have been moved to bases, a sign of the GOP leaders' alarm about angry protests, the assassination of Charlie Kirk and the assassination attempts on Donald Trump.

Keep reading.

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Justice Department sues to block California US House map in clash that could tip control of Congress

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Justice Department on Thursday sued to block new congressional district boundaries approved by California voters last week, joining a court battle that could help determine which party wins control of the U.S. House in 2026.

https://apnews.com/article/california-redistricting-justice-department-lawsuit-025b00f0b3490a5fa8219c4376bcb9d2?

ps:Once again the party that claims it wont lose, seems to fear that it will! Why? And to top it off they're doing this in other states, but don't want anyone else to do it?????

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Bondi Struggling to Find Lawyers to Deal With Lawsuit From Comey’s Fired Daughter

Maurene Comey, who worked on the Jeffrey Epstein case, was abruptly fired by the DOJ in July.

A lawsuit against the Department of Justice, filed by the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey, is being delayed because no federal attorneys are willing to take it on, according to a report.

Maurene Comey, a former federal prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York who played a key role in the criminal cases against Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, was abruptly fired by the Department of Justice in July with no explanation.

In September, Comey sued the DOJ, President Donald Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and others, alleging that she was fired without probable cause and solely because her father is a longtime nemesis of the president. James Comey was indicted on charges of lying to Congress in September in what was widely seen as part of a political retribution campaign carried out by Trump against his adversaries.

Two months later, the DoJ has not responded to the lawsuit, in part because the department is struggling to assign an office or attorneys to handle the case, sources told The New York Times.

The Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office, where Comey was previously employed, has declined to work on the case due to her close ties to the office. The Brooklyn prosecutor’s office also wants to maintain its distance because it is closely linked to the Manhattan branch due to personal ties among its lawyers and investigations often overlapping.

The Federal Programs Branch of the DOJ’s Civil Division, which typically handles high-profile lawsuits, is also not taking it on, though it remains unclear why. Comey is not seeking financial compensation beyond back pay, legal fees, and reinstatement to her former position.

The delay prompted U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman, who is presiding over the case, to postpone a hearing scheduled for November 3 and give the DOJ a new deadline to respond, reported The Times.

The department, along with the named defendants—including Bondi—now has until November 21 to file an official response.

Elsewhere, a legal watchdog group on Tuesday demanded that the president’s hand-picked prosecutor who brought the charges against James Comey and fellow Trump nemisis New York Attorney General Letitia James be investigated.

The Campaign for Accountability (CfA) has asked the Florida Bar and the Virginia State Bar to probe Lindsey Halligan, a 36-year-old former Miss Colorado beauty pageant contestant, over claims she filed charges on Trump’s behalf despite a “dearth of evidence” that either Comey or James committed a crime.

The Daily Beast has contacted the Department of Justice for comment.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/pam-bondi-struggling-to-find-lawyers-to-deal-with-lawsuit-from-james-comeys-fired-daughter/?

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Judge scolds Justice Department for ‘profound investigative missteps’ in Comey case

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department engaged in a “disturbing pattern of profound investigative missteps” in the process of securing an indictment against former FBI Director James Comey, a federal judge ruled Monday in directing prosecutors to provide defense lawyers with all grand jury materials from the case.

https://apnews.com/article/comey-halligan-justice-department-d663148e16d042087210d4d266ea10ae?

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Epstein files

The Justice Department has asked a federal judge in Florida to reconsider unsealing grand jury materials related to an investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, as the agency faces a congressionally-mandated deadline to release all documents related to the convicted sex offender next month. In its filing on Friday, the Justice Department cited the passage of a law mandating the release of all of its Epstein files within 30 days, arguing, “public production of the grand jury material is therefore required.” But the legislation, which President Donald Trump signed into law last week, does not specifically mention grand jury materials.

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Judge dismisses Comey, James indictments after finding that prosecutor was illegally appointed

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Monday dismissed the criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, concluding that the prosecutor who brought the charges at President Donald Trump’s urging was illegally appointed by the Justice Department.

https://apnews.com/article/comey-james-justice-department-5ec1a59d152bc1fd000ade15e20745b5?

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Powerhouse Attorney Hammers Bondi’s DOJ Over ‘Unprecedented’ Humiliation

The Justice Department failed to re-indict New York’s attorney general after the first case fell apart.

Letitia James’ lawyer blasted the Trump administration’s “unprecedented” efforts to bring a baseless case against her after a grand jury refused to indict the New York attorney general for mortgage fraud.After a judge threw out the Justice Department’s cases last month against James and another one of President Donald Trump’s foes, former FBI Director James Comey, Attorney General Pam Bondi’s DOJ rushed to secure a new indictment and presented it to a grand jury just 10 days later, CNN reported. The move backfired, though, and the grand jury on Thursday took the unusual step of failing to return an indictment, James’ attorney Abbe Lowell told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on The Source.

“I’ve practiced law for a long time, and in my experience as both a prosecutor, when I was that in the Justice Department, and as a defense attorney, I can’t tell you a time… where a federal prosecutor thought a case was strong enough to bring to a grand jury, and the grand jury has said no,” she said.

Lowell has represented numerous high-profile clients—including Hunter Biden, Jared Kushner, and Ivanka Trump—and is also defending another Trump target, Fed Governor Lisa Cook, against the president’s attempts to fire her.

During a federal grand jury hearing, which is conducted in secret, the prosecutor presents evidence to the jury to show probable cause—or reasonable grounds to believe—that a crime was committed.

Given that the prosecutor only has to present favorable evidence and there’s no defense to make a counter-argument, the popular saying goes that a prosecutor could get a grand jury to indict a ham sandwich.

Lowell said it was already “unprecedented” for the government to bring a case “with no basis,” but that she’d heard the government might try bringing the case before a new grand jury in a different city in Virginia.

“If they do that, people need to pay attention,” she said. “It’s not like this is normal, but what it does do is show how far they’ll go to break the rule of law, to do a revenge tour that President Trump has ordered.”

The White House and the DOJ both declined to comment.

In September, the president inadvertently published a private Truth Social message intended only for Bondi calling for the prosecutions of Comey, James, and Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff of California.

Trump had long called for them to be prosecuted after James led a civil fraud case against Trump in New York and Comey oversaw a probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Schiff, who served 12 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives before running for Senate, led the House’s 2020 impeachment of Trump.

Around the same time that Trump accidentally published his message to Bondi, acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, veteran prosecutor Erik Siebert, refused to charge James with mortgage fraud, citing a lack of evidence in the case.

Trump replaced him with his personal attorney Lindsey Halligan, a former beauty pageant contestant and insurance lawyer with no prior prosecutorial experience.

A judge ruled on Nov. 24 that Halligan’s appointment was invalid, so the DOJ brought in a new prosecutor from Missouri to try Thursday to secure an indictment, Lowell said.

The latest failure was a “pretty big embarrassment” for both Trump and the DOJ, the CNN host noted, given how rare it is for a grand jury to refuse to indict.

Asked if there was any indication why the grand jury refused to indict, Lowell said more information about the secret proceedings might come out over the next few days.

“We filed a motion that probably had seven single-spaced pages of statements President Trump has made to go after [James],” she said. “If they re-indict or if they try to up it again and they keep trying, and again, all they’re doing is making our motion stronger and stronger.”

James said in a statement Thursday, “As I have said from the start, the charges against me are baseless. It is time for this unchecked weaponization of our justice system to stop.”

“I am grateful to the members of the grand jury and humbled by the support I have received from across the country,” she added. “Now, I will continue to do my job standing up for the rule of law and the people of New York.”

https://www.thedailybeast.com/powerhouse-attorney-abbe-lowell-hammers-pam-bondis-doj-over-unprecedented-letitia-james-humiliation/?

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Justice Department can unseal records from Epstein’s 2019 sex trafficking case, judge says

NEW YORK (AP) — Secret grand jury transcripts from Jeffrey Epstein’s 2019 sex trafficking case can be made public, a judge ruled on Wednesday, joining two other judges in granting the Justice Department’s requests to unseal material from investigations into the late financier’s sexual abuse.

https://apnews.com/article/epstein-sex-trafficking-case-records-justice-department-016bbded12959c90d1679e15aa273b60?

Justice Department again fails to re-indict New York Attorney General Letitia James, AP sources say

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A grand jury declined for a second time in a week to re-indict New York Attorney General Letitia James on Thursday in another major blow to the Justice Department’s efforts to prosecute the president’s political opponents.

https://apnews.com/article/letitia-james-grand-jury-6743e4d673d8b039059a958e507aea94?

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Pam Bondi Dismissed Charges Against a Surgeon Who Falsified Vaccine Cards. It Emboldened Others With Similar Cases.

Dr. Kirk Moore had been on trial for five days, accused of falsifying COVID-19 vaccination cards and throwing away the government-supplied doses.

https://www.propublica.org/article/pam-bondi-fake-covid-vaccine-cards-kirk-moore?

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? Driving the day: Denouement for Epstein files

Photo illustration: Maura Kearns/Axios. Photos: Getty Images

After years of mystery and months of turmoil, the Justice Department is expected to release the bulk of its unclassified archive on Jeffrey Epstein today. Why it matters: No saga has commanded more public fascination this year than the Epstein files, which destabilized the MAGA movement in ways few thought possible, Axios' Zachary Basu reports. ? President Trump's efforts to close the book on the deceased sex trafficker backfired in spectacular fashion, unleashing a populist wave that ultimately swelled beyond his control. Today is the deadline for the Justice Department to release "all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials" related to Epstein in a "searchable and downloadable format." The law allows redactions for victims' identities and records linked to ongoing investigations. What remains unclear is how aggressively DOJ will use those exemptions. ? Between the lines: Three powerful currents have converged to make the Epstein files the enduring story of 2025. Elite distrust: Conflicting statements, delays and redactions have fueled the belief that governments, universities, banks and other institutions concealed Epstein's networks for years. Conspiracy culture: Online influencers have thrived on innuendo about alleged blackmail rings and Epstein's links to intelligence, turning every unanswered question into fodder for sweeping theories of corruption. Skepticism of Israel: Scrutiny of Epstein's deep ties to Israel has collided with the fierce debate over the Jewish state's influence in U.S. politics — a mix often laced with antisemitic tropes by far-right commentators. Keep reading.

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Justice Department releases limited set of files tied to Epstein sex trafficking investigation

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department released thousands of files Friday about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, but the incomplete document dump did not break significant ground about the long-running criminal investigations of the financier or his ties to wealthy and powerful individuals.

https://apnews.com/article/release-epstein-files-justice-department-trump-f919d9dc9c3957cb2bd2c9c1a14b533c?

Survivors of Epstein’s abuse condemn justice department for only partly releasing files

Representatives for victims of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein condemned the US Department of Justice on Friday for only partially releasing investigative documents while at least one survivor said she felt “redeemed” by the documents.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/19/epstein-victims-condemn-doj-files-release?

Epstein Deadline Drops

The Justice Department yesterday released four batches of files relating to Jeffrey Epstein, including photos of public figures such as former President Bill Clinton, President Donald Trump, Diana Ross, and Mick Jagger. The photos do not implicate anyone. See the more than 3,500 new files under "Epstein Files Transparency Act" here, and the latest analysis here. The release came on the day of a congressionally mandated deadline to unseal all unclassified documents connected to the late financier and convicted sex offender, which has not yet been fully met. The DOJ said officials needed about two more weeks to redact identifying information about victims in several hundred thousand documents. The delay has drawn criticism from lawmakers across the aisle. Democrats on the House Oversight and Judiciary committees are considering legal action over the DOJ's noncompliance with the deadline. Congress, court records, and the DOJ have released several documents related to Epstein over the past few years. See a comprehensive guide here.

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? Friday file dump

Documents from yesterday's Justice Department release, redacted to protect victims. Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images The Justice Department released thousands of files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein yesterday — including documents, photos, recordings of phone calls and videos gathered during state and federal investigations. Why it matters: It's the clearest look yet into Epstein's years of abuse and his connections to influential figures in business and politics, Axios' Josephine Walker reports. The big picture: While compiling records, the Justice Department found 1,200+ names of victims or victims' relatives, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in the letter to Congress. The records detail the kinds of abuse Epstein made his survivors endure. In a graphic Palm Beach police interview, a girl says she was recruited to give Epstein partially nude massages when she was 16. She describes how Epstein asked her to seek emancipation from her parents to live with him as a "sex slave, whatever you want to call it." New photos from Epstein's estate are in the release, too — many featuring women in various levels of undress. Many of the most discussed photos show former President Clinton. Some show Clinton on a private plane, including one with a woman seated next to him with her arm around him. Another shows Clinton in a hot tub with a woman. The faces of both women are redacted. The small number of photos that show President Trump appear to have been in the public domain for decades. There were references to Trump in Epstein's address book, flight logs and a message book in which Epstein's assistants logged missed calls, N.Y. Times notes. Versions of those documents were already public. Some pages of the files are almost entirely redacted. Blanche said thousands more documents could be released in the coming weeks. Quick takeaways ... Full trove of documents.

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At least 16 files have disappeared from the DOJ webpage for documents related to Jeffrey Epstein

NEW YORK (AP) — At least 16 files disappeared from the Justice Department’s public webpage for documents related to Jeffrey Epstein — including a photograph showing President Donald Trump — less than a day after they were posted, with no explanation from the government and no notice to the public.

https://apnews.com/article/release-epstein-files-justice-department-trump-9290fcaad1cb6fcb1cbc1befabc01994?

At least 16 files have disappeared from the DOJ webpage for documents related to Jeffrey Epstein At least 16 files disappeared from the Justice Department’s public webpage for documents related to Jeffrey Epstein — including a photograph showing President Donald Trump — less than a day after they were posted, with no explanation from the government and no notice to the public. The Justice Department didn’t answer questions Saturday about why the files disappeared but said in a post on X that “photos and other materials will continue being reviewed and redacted consistent with the law in an abundance of caution as we receive additional information.” Read more.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Takeaways from the US Justice Department’s initial release of Epstein files, mandated by Congress A timeline of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation and the fight to make the government’s files public

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?️ New Epstein dump

Photo illustration: Maura Kearns/Axios. Photos: Getty Images The Justice Department released nearly 30,000 more pages of files related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein — including many that mention President Trump, Axios' Avery Lotz reports. ✍️ Among them: A letter signed "J. Epstein" addressed to sexual abuser Larry Nassar before Epstein's 2019 suicide. A 2020 email from a federal prosecutor states that Trump "traveled on Epstein's private jet" at least eight times from 1993 to 1996. Via X The DOJ said on X that some of the new documents "contain untrue and sensationalist claims made against President Trump that were submitted to the FBI right before the 2020 election." Trump hasn't been accused of wrongdoing. The newest drop comes after the DOJ was slammed for the heavily redacted and incomplete rollout of its Epstein documents. Over a dozen Epstein survivors lambasted the department over last week's partial release, which they said was "riddled with abnormal and extreme redactions with no explanation." Lawmakers also accused the DOJ of flouting the law requiring the files' release. The department said more documents are coming, but it had hundreds of thousands of pages to review — "an arduous process." Get the latest. More Epstein Documents The Justice Department released a second batch of documents—nearly 30,000 pages—yesterday related to its investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Explore the documents here. The release contains some details previously covered in news reports, including references to President Donald Trump on flight logs for Epstein’s private jet. One 2020 email from a federal attorney stated Trump was a passenger on at least eight flights, more than had been previously reported. His name on the flight record does not indicate wrongdoing. In a separate email by “A,” the writer claimed to be staying at a British royal residence and asked convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell if she had found him “new inappropriate friends.” Further exchanges suggest the writer may be Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who lost his royal titles after being accused of rape by one of Epstein’s victims.  The DOJ said it is reviewing nearly 1 million documents for release. The department said it will redact victim information and denied censoring Trump-related items.

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After missing deadline, DOJ says it may need a ‘few more weeks’ to finish releasing Epstein files

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department said Wednesday that it may need a “few more weeks” to release all of its records on the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after suddenly discovering more than a million potentially relevant documents, further delaying compliance with last Friday’s congressionally mandated deadline.

https://apnews.com/article/senate-epstein-files-trump-justice-department-bipartisan-fe7de7947b4e5b0bd7f8194cdc760f1f?

ps:So now they need a little more time?? They knew this before!!!!!

? Million more docs

Via X

Over a million more potential Jeffrey Epstein documents have been handed over to the Department of Justice for review and possible release, the DOJ said. The stunning announcement of a new trove — at mid-afternoon on Christmas Eve — comes as the DOJ has been releasing thousands of Epstein documents, often heavily redacted, and some of which involve President Trump, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick writes. The review process could take "a few more weeks" due to "the mass volume of material," the Justice Department said.

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? DOJ uses fraud law to target DEI

Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios

The Justice Department is investigating DEI initiatives at some major U.S. companies that are government contractors, making novel use of the False Claims Act, which punishes fraud, The Wall Street Journal reports. Industries under scrutiny for diversity, equity and inclusion practices include tech, telecom, automotive, pharma, defense and utilities. Some companies have received demands for documents about workplace programs. Others have met with DOJ in person, the Journal said. The backdrop: Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche signaled this intention in May with a memo vowing "vigorous enforcement of the False Claims Act … against those who defraud the United States by taking its money while knowingly violating civil rights laws." WSJ story (gift link) … DOJ memo.

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Justice Department investigating whether Minnesota’s Walz and Frey impeded immigration enforcement

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Justice Department is investigating whether Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have impeded federal immigration enforcement through public statements they have made, two people familiar with the matter said Friday.

https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-crackdown-25e46910fcc62fbf5ab341905af9891c?

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Justice Department subpoenas Walz and others in immigration enforcement obstruction investigation

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Federal prosecutors served grand jury subpoenas Tuesday to Minnesota officials as part of an investigation into whether they obstructed or impeded law enforcement during a sweeping immigration operation in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, a person familiar with the matter said.

https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-crackdown-trump-5e2f40582b62687fd9bc70640382f034?

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Anti-ICE protest at Minnesota church leads to arrests but no charges for journalist Don Lemon

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A prominent civil rights attorney and at least two other people involved in an anti-immigration enforcement protest that disrupted a service at a Minnesota church have been arrested, Trump administration officials said Thursday, even as a judge rebuffed related charges against journalist Don Lemon.

https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-minnesota-church-disruption-bondi-ed084f5005187f58eabe0cc627d1862b?

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Man who squirted apple cider vinegar on Omar is charged with assaulting and intimidating her

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Justice Department has charged a man who squirted apple cider vinegar on Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar at an event in Minneapolis, according to court papers made public Thursday.

https://apnews.com/article/ihan-omar-vinegar-attack-minneapolis-385a30eaf6acc40d6ba5c6c45c09304d?

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Justice Department releases largest batch yet of Epstein documents, says it totals 3 million pages

NEW YORK (AP) — The Justice Department on Friday released many more records from its investigative files on Jeffrey Epstein, resuming disclosures under a law intended to reveal what the government knew about the millionaire financier’s sexual abuse of young girls and his interactions with rich and powerful people such as Donald Trump and Bill Clinton.

https://apnews.com/article/epstein-files-justice-department-trump-ed743598c320b94bd9d91631618678d9?

US justice department releases more than 3 million new pages of Epstein files

The US deputy attorney general, Todd Blanche, said on Friday that the justice department had released more than 3m pages of documents related to its investigation into the disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, in a long-awaited announcement that appears to represent the bulk of the so-called Epstein files that have dogged Donald Trump politically.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/30/epstein-files-3-million-new-pages?

The Justice Department has opened a federal civil rights probe into the killing of Alex Pretti

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has opened a federal civil rights investigation into the shooting of Alex Pretti, the Minneapolis resident killed Saturday by Border Patrol officers, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Friday.

https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-ice-fbi-alex-pretti-immigration-65a963816603a08bbc9db83961dd173f?

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🗂️ Inside the Epstein files

An asset summary for Jeffrey Epstein as of June 30, 2019, was included in yesterday's Justice Department release. Photo: Jon Elswick/AP In a document released by the Justice Department yesterday, Ghislaine Maxwell said in an email to an address associated with former President Clinton that he's "hung like a horse," Axios' Alex Isenstadt and Marc Caputo report. It's unclear whether the Jeffrey Epstein co-conspirator was writing to Clinton, or to an aide who used the ex-president's account and whose name was redacted. Clinton has denied using email in that era, and was repeatedly referenced in the third person in emails sent from the account. Maxwell wrote that she had talked about what a "stud you are and how I have a crush on you and how you are hung like a horse ... Hope you don't mind." A Clinton spokesperson declined to comment. See the email. 💻 Emails from 2013 show Epstein "drafted notes to and about Bill Gates ... suggesting that he engaged in extramarital sex," the N.Y. Times reports (gift link). A Gates spokesperson said Epstein's claims "are absolutely absurd and completely false." More takeaways from yesterday's release.

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Top Justice Department official plays down chance for charges arising from latest Epstein files revelations Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday on CNN that the existence of “horrible photographs” and troubling email correspondence does not “allow us necessarily to prosecute somebody.” Read more.

Why this matters: Department officials said over the summer that a review of Epstein-related records did not establish a basis for new criminal investigations, and Blanche said that position remains unchanged even as a massive document dump since Friday has focused fresh attention on Epstein’s links to powerful individuals around the world.    Blanche said Sunday that there were a “ton of people” named in the files besides President Donald Trump and that the FBI had fielded “hundreds of calls” about prominent individuals where the allegations were “quickly determined to not be credible.”

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ From Elon Musk to the former Prince Andrew, a who’s who of powerful people named in Epstein files   IOC president says Epstein files and ICE are ‘sad’ distractions from Winter Olympics