The Justice Department’s inspector general has begun examining the government’s handling of the Epstein files, reviewing in part how officials decided to redact names and withhold materials from public release.
The Justice Department has released millions of documents tied to the Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell cases, after Congress passed a law, the Epstein Files Transparency Act, that required the disclosures.
The department has come under fire for its handling of the process, including failing to initially redact dozens of victims and not initially releasing some FBI documents that referenced allegations against President Trump.
Officials have said they complied with the law, redaction errors were limited and they addressed any errors when notified. Earlier this month, then Attorney General Pam Bondi resigned shortly before she was slated to testify before a congressional panel investigating the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein case. Department spokespeople didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
In a statement, Inspector General William M. Blier said his “preliminary objective is to evaluate the DOJ’s processes for identifying, redacting, and releasing records in its possession as required by the Act.” He said the inquiry would look at the guidance issue for redactions and the process for addressing post-release concerns. He said his office would issue a public report once the work is completed.
Write to Sadie Gurman at sadie.gurman@wsj.com
