'What is being covered up?' Democrats slam DOJ as Epstein documents vanish online
Washington: More than a dozen files vanished from a Justice Department website hosting public records related to Jeffrey Epstein on Saturday, less than 24 hours after their initial release. The removal of at least 16 items, which included a photograph of President Donald Trump, occurred without any explanation or formal notice from federal authorities.
The deleted materials, which were accessible on Friday, featured depictions of nude paintings and an image of a drawer containing a photograph of Trump alongside Epstein, Melania Trump, and Ghislaine Maxwell. Department officials have not stated if the removal was purposeful, and a spokesperson did not immediately provide comment.
The quiet deletion sparked immediate digital speculation and political backlash, intensifying the long-standing mystery surrounding the financier’s social circle. Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee highlighted the missing Trump photo on social media, asking, “What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public.”
The incident has compounded existing doubts regarding the transparency of the massive document dump. Critics noted that despite the release of tens of thousands of pages, the collection lacks critical items such as internal FBI interviews and memos that might explain why Epstein was granted a lenient state-level plea deal in 2008. Furthermore, the records—mandated by a recent congressional law—contain almost no mention of other powerful associates, such as Britain’s Prince Andrew.
New details that did emerge included a 1996 complaint alleging Epstein stole images of children and insights into why federal prosecutors dropped an investigation into him in the early 2000s. While the release contained numerous photos of Epstein’s properties and never-before-seen shots of former President Bill Clinton with various celebrities, images of Trump were remarkably scarce. Both have distanced themselves from Epstein, and neither has been accused of wrongdoing in the case.
The Justice Department missed a Friday deadline for a full disclosure, stating instead that it would release records on a "rolling basis" due to the necessity of redacting survivor information. This delay has frustrated accusers and lawmakers who fought for the transparency law.
“I feel like again the DOJ, the justice system is failing us,” said Marina Lacerda, who says her abuse by Epstein began at age 14.
The records represent only a fraction of the millions of pages held by the government. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche previously noted that federal prosecutors in Manhattan held 3.6 million records from investigations into Epstein and Maxwell. Many of the newly available documents were already public through other means, and some new files were heavily obscured, including one 119-page grand jury document that was entirely blacked out.
Republican allies of Trump focused on images of Clinton with figures like Michael Jackson and Diana Ross. Other photos showed Epstein with actors Chris Tucker and Kevin Spacey, and newsman Walter Cronkite, though no context was provided for the gatherings.
The most substantial disclosures involved 2007 grand jury transcripts, where FBI agents detailed testimony from victims as young as 14. One survivor, who was 21 at the time of her testimony, described being recruited at 16 to perform sexual massages and subsequently enlisting other girls.
“For every girl that I brought to the table, he would give me $200,” she said. “I also told them that if they are underage, just lie about it and tell him that you are 18.”
The files also included a later interview with Alexander Acosta, the former U.S. attorney during Trump’s first term, who defended his decision not to pursue federal charges by questioning if a jury would find the victims credible.
“I’m not saying it was the right view,” Acosta said, noting that societal perspectives have since shifted. “There’s been a lot of changes in victim shaming,” he added.
Jennifer Freeman, an attorney for accuser Maria Farmer, said the release offered her client a sense of vindication regarding her claims that Epstein possessed child abuse imagery.
“It’s a triumph and a tragedy,” Freeman said. “It looks like the government did absolutely nothing. Horrible things have happened, and if they investigated in even the smallest way, they could have stopped him.”
With inputs from AP