A government watchdog organization revealed on Wednesday that a new joint court filing with the Justice Department indicates that the Trump administration is still reviewing records related to deceased sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein for a potential release.
In a Wednesday press release, Judicial Watch announced that it filed a “joint status report” in federal court on Monday, “reporting that the Justice Department and the FBI continue to search for and review records in response to Judicial Watch’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit for records regarding Jeffrey Epstein.”
According to Judicial Watch, the government watchdog’s FOIA lawsuit is requesting any records regarding Epstein’s associates or clients.
“The Justice Department’s disclosure is at odds with the leaked, unsigned and undated Justice Department/FBI memo that suggests no more Epstein records would be disclosed to the American public,” Judicial Watch stated in Wednesday’s press release.
In the memo released earlier this week by the Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), federal officials announced that a “thorough investigation” into Epstein led FBI investigators to conclude that “Jeffrey Epstein committed suicide in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City.”
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The memo also stated, “This systematic review revealed no incriminating ‘client list.’ There was also no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions.”
According to Wednesday’s press release, Judicial Watch sued the Justice Department and the FBI in April after the agencies “failed to adequately respond” to three FOIA requests the government watchdog filed in February regarding Epstein.
Judicial Watch noted that while the FOIA requests were sent to the Justice Department’s Office of Information Policy, the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and the FBI, President Donald Trump’s administration has not provided “one document” to the organization or revealed when any of the requested documents may be released.
“The Justice Department and FBI are sending out contradictory messages: telling the American people that no more Epstein material will be released, while telling the federal court in our case that the Epstein FOIA review is proceeding,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said. “But no matter, our FOIA lawsuit for the Epstein material continues. We will be relentless in demanding transparency under law.”
