The Latest: Justice Department is releasing 3 million pages from Jeffrey Epstein files

NEW YORK — 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 the rich and powerful.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department was releasing more than 3 million pages of documents in the latest Epstein disclosure, as well as more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images. The files, posted to the department's website, include some of the several million pages of records that officials said were withheld from an initial release of documents in December.

Congressional Democrats, who have been key to pushing for the release of case files on Epstein, are arguing that Friday's release is only about half of the files that have been collected.

The Epstein Files Transparency Act, a law enacted after months of public and political pressure, requires the government to open its files on the convicted sex offender as well as his confidant and onetime girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell. Epstein killed himself in a New York jail cell in August 2019, a month after he was indicted on federal sex trafficking charges.

Here's the latest:

Epstein supported Trump's first-term efforts to oust Fed chair

In a 2018 exchange, Epstein and Trump advisor Steve Bannon discussed the president's threats to oust Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, whom he had named to the post just the year prior.

''Can u get rid of Powell or really get rid of mnuchin,'' Bannon replied, referring to then-Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.

''no, mnuchin is ok,'' Epstein replied.

Trump on Friday named Kevin Warsh to succeed Powell after spending the past year assailing him for not cutting interest rates quickly enough.

Some documents are related to Epstein's incarceration and suicide

Others center around Ghislaine Maxwell's incarceration and her grievances related to her imprisonment conditions.

Thousands of pages of documents related to Epstein's jail suicide have already been released.

House committee wants more from Bondi

The House Oversight Committee has also issued a separate subpoena to Attorney General Pam Bondi for the files without redactions, but that has not been fulfilled. Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the oversight panel, called the limited release of documents ''outrageous and incredibly concerning.''

Congressional Democrats criticize DOJ's release as incomplete

Congressional Democrats who have been key to pushing for the release of case files on Epstein are arguing that Friday's release by the Department of Justice is only about half of the files that have been collected.

Khanna said he was looking to see whether the files released Friday included FBI interviews with victims, a draft indictment and information prosecutors collected during a 2007 investigation into Epstein in Florida.

The House Oversight Committee has also issued a separate subpoena to Attorney General Pam Bondi for the files without redactions, but that has not been fulfilled.

Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the oversight panel, called the limited release of documents ''outrageous and incredibly concerning.''

Records include unsubstantiated tips sent to investigators

Over the years, prosecutors received tips from people with wild stories about being sexually abused by famous figures. In some instances, FBI investigators diligently reached out to these tipsters and alleged victims and listened to their implausible sounding stories — some involving the occult and human sacrifice — then wrote dry reports summarizing what the people had to say and sent them to their superiors.

Attorney Jay Clayton told New York federal court judges overseeing records in the sex trafficking cases against Epstein and Maxwell that some documents are being withheld temporarily while the government awaits further guidance from civil and criminal courts.

In a letter to the judges, Clayton says his office continues to engage with victims and their lawyers, including during a call Thursday. He said the Justice Department has invited victims to reach out if they believe anything has been published that should be redacted.

Some of the documents we've seen so far

The huge cache of documents included email correspondence between prosecutors, printouts of thousands of emails that Epstein either sent or received, news clippings, and reports written by FBI agents summarizing their interviews with witnesses and alleged victims in the investigation.

As was the case with many previous releases of documents related to Epstein, much material was blacked out. Some of the reports on FBI interviews had entire pages blacked out, along with the name of the person who was being interviewed.

The deputy U.S. attorney general also responded to criticism about the Justice Department's handling of the files' release.

He said federal attorneys had to review all 6 million pages to ensure no victim information is released, and couldn't do so within the 30-day timeline set by the law. He noted various exemptions under the law, but said no material was being withheld under a national security or foreign policy exemption.

''There's not some tranche of super-secret documents about Jeffrey Epstein that we're withholding,'' he said about redactions in the files.

Blanche acknowledges extensive redactions

Justice Department lawyers made extensive redactions to the released files, including victim information that included their medical files.

Lawyers also withheld child sex abuse materials or anything depicting images of death, physical abuse or injury, as well as anything that would hurt an ongoing federal investigation, Blanche said.

AP reporters are reviewing the files

Compiling accurate and thorough information takes time. A team of AP reporters is working to confirm information released by the Justice Department regarding Jeffrey Epstein.

These standards guide our reporting process:

1. We generally do not identify those who say they have been sexually assaulted or subjected to extreme abuse

3. We will not knowingly introduce rumor or false information into material

4. We abhor inaccuracies, carelessness, bias or distortions

5. We always strive to identify all the sources of our information

▶ Read our statement of news values and principles

Blanche: ‘We did not protect President Trump'

''There's a hunger, or a thirst, for information that I don't think will be satisfied by review of these documents,'' he said.

''We did not protect President Trump. We didn't protect — or not protect — anybody,'' Blanche said.

Review of Epstein files was an ‘unprecedented effort,' deputy AG says

Blanche called the review and release of Epstein files an ''unprecedented effort'' as he defended the Trump administration's response to demands for their release.

''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,'' Blanche said. ''We do.''

He said more than 6 million pages could potentially be released under the law, but that the department's massive release does not include files that contain personally identifiable information of victims.

More than 3 million document pages will be released