XPost: law.court.federal, soc.culture.jewish, alt.politics.republicans   
   XPost: alt.fan.rush-limbaugh, sac.politics   
   From: noreply@dirge.harmsk.com   
      
   The Department of Justice released more than 3 million pages, including   
   more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images, in its files tied to the   
   death and criminal investigation of convicted sex offender Jeffrey   
   Epstein.   
      
   NPR reporters are reviewing the files, which so far have included   
   unredacted names and photographs of Epstein victims, communications with   
   powerful figures like Elon Musk and former White House counsel in the   
   Obama administration Kathryn Ruemmler and even more mentions of   
   President Trump.   
      
   Being mentioned in the files, which include unvetted submissions made to   
   the FBI, Epstein's private correspondence and court records, is not a   
   sign of wrongdoing or association with Epstein's crimes.   
      
   Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche says Friday's release means the DOJ   
   is now in compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which   
   Congress passed last November and which legally required the DOJ to   
   release all the files.   
      
   Members of Congress who passed the law had earlier complained that the   
   DOJ had failed to meet its deadline of mid-December to release all the   
   files and have questioned the extensive redactions made to photos and   
   documents released so far.   
      
   NPR's initial review of the new files found Trump's face blacked out on   
   a news article sent by onetime advisor Steve Bannon and a spreadsheet   
   that contained unverified allegations of inappropriate conduct by Trump   
   and others that was briefly offline.   
      
   A Justice Department spokeswoman said the document was down "due to   
   overload and is back online."   
      
   The Justice Department press release also said that the tranche of files   
   may include "fake or falsely submitted images, documents or videos, as   
   everything that was sent to the FBI by the public was included in the   
   production that is responsive to the Act."   
      
   "Some of the documents contain untrue and sensationalist claims against   
   President Trump that were submitted to the FBI right before the 2020   
   election," the release continues. "To be clear, the claims are unfounded   
   and false, and if they have a shred of credibility, they certainly would   
   have been weaponized against President Trump already."   
      
   Blanche at a press conference on Friday morning said more than 500   
   lawyers and others worked through weekends and holidays to comply with   
   the law, while making sure to protect victims' information. He said they   
   had to review more than 6 million pages — "two Eiffel Towers of pages" —   
   to decide what to release. They're continuing to withhold documents that   
   depict violence or involve attorney-client privilege, he said. The   
   department also said it discarded any duplicates or unrelated materials.   
      
   "I take umbrage at the suggestion, which is totally false, that the   
   attorney general or this department does not take child exploitation or   
   sex trafficking seriously, or that we somehow do not want to protect   
   victims," Blanche said.   
      
   He also said the DOJ wasn't seeking to protect President Trump while   
   releasing the files, though some of the files contained sensational and   
   false claims about the president and others.   
      
   "Through the process, the Department provided clear instructions to   
   reviewers that the redactions were to be limited to the protection of   
   victims and their families," the DOJ said in a statement. "Some   
   pornographic images, whether commercial or not, were redacted, given the   
   Department treated all women in those images as victims. Notable   
   individuals and politicians were not redacted in the release of any   
   files."   
      
   Epstein files political saga   
   The release of the Epstein files is the latest development in a   
   political saga that has dogged Trump's second term in office and caused   
   bipartisan backlash against Trump's conflicting and shifting commentary   
   on the subject.   
      
   Trump amplified conspiracy theories about the files relating to his   
   onetime friend Epstein on the campaign trail, vowing to publicize   
   information about the financier's crimes and ties to powerful people   
   that he alleged was being covered up by the government. But once he   
   returned to the White House, Trump fought efforts by lawmakers and his   
   supporters to release those files.   
      
      
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