Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) said the department found the name among millions of unreleased records that lawmakers authorized to begin an investigation on Feb. 9.
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WASHINGTON – The two congressmen who led the effort to force the Justice Department to release more documents about suspected sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein say they have discovered at least six more alleged accomplices.
On February 9, the department began allowing lawmakers to review millions of records that remain classified. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) said they had discovered additional suspects among the names left blacked out in published records.
“What we want are the men that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked women to. We want their names to be made public,” Massey told reporters. “Within two hours, we discovered six men whose names had been redacted who were involved in the way the files were presented.”
The revelation is part of the latest standoff between Congress and the Justice Department over the release of millions of documents about Epstein that remain classified. Future Congressional hearings and depositions will focus on what has been kept secret for years.
In November, Congress approved legislation directing the department to release all files on Mr. Epstein, who died by suicide in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Lawmakers and associates who accused Epstein of abuse are aiming to go after his colleague Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year sentence, as well as other powerful businessmen and political leaders who may have colluded with him.
The ministry released 3.5 million out of 6 million documents. Lawmakers are pressing the department to find out why names other than those who have accused of abuse are blacked out in the records, and why the remaining 2.5 million people are not made public.
The six men Massey said were “probably guilty” for inclusion in the records (some with photos) had been redacted for no apparent reason.
“There’s no explanation as to why,” Khanna said. “That’s really concerning.”
Lawmakers said part of the problem with the lingering redaction issue is that FBI or grand jury documents arrive at the department in a redacted state. But lawmakers said the department is required by law to release those records without redactions.
“They need to do their homework,” Massey said.
Attorney General Pam Bondi is scheduled to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on February 11, and Massey said she plans to ask about the secrets on the record.
One previously redacted 2019 FBI document named Les Wexner, Epstein’s financial client and former CEO of Victoria’s Secret, as a possible co-conspirator. Massey questioned why Wexner’s name was redacted, but Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche removed the redaction.
Blanche said the documents listed the names of numerous people who accused Epstein of abuse.
“We just removed Les Wexner’s name from this document, but his name already appears thousands of times in the file,” Blanche said on social media. “The Department of Justice is not hiding anything.”
Mr. Wexner has not been accused of wrongdoing and has not spoken publicly about his relationship with Mr. Epstein. However, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee scheduled his deposition for February 18th.
Massey found another document with four of the 18 redacted names of men born before 1970. Ms Massey said the department needed to explain why the names were hidden.
Blanche said the documents contained the names of numerous people who had accused Epstein of abuse.
“We have just removed all names other than the victim from this document,” Blanche said on social media. “The Department of Justice is committed to transparency.”
