DOJ Sends Congress 6-Page Epstein Letter With Sweeping Name List
The Department of Justice has sent a six-page letter to Congress defending redactions made in the latest release of Epstein-related files — and the list attached to it is drawing immediate scrutiny.
According to reporting by Aaron Parnas, the letter explains why certain documents were withheld under attorney-client privilege, work-product protections, and privacy rules. It was sent to Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin and House Judiciary Chair Jamie Raskin as part of compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
The DOJ also included what it described as a list of all “government officials and politically exposed persons” named or referenced in the materials, regardless of whether they were charged with wrongdoing.
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That sweeping inclusion quickly triggered backlash. Rep. Ro Khanna publicly criticized the DOJ, arguing the list places individuals mentioned in emails alongside convicted offenders without context. He specifically cited the inclusion of Janis Joplin, who died in 1970, and Larry Nassar, who is serving prison time for sexual abuse crimes.
“The DOJ is once again purposefully muddying the waters,” Khanna wrote on X.
The department’s letter states that certain information was redacted to prevent reputational harm where individuals were referenced but not accused of crimes.
Related: Rep. Mace: DOJ “Spying” on Lawmakers’ Epstein File Searches Must Be Explained
The dispute highlights a broader tension between transparency demands and legal privacy constraints as lawmakers push for fuller disclosure.
The DOJ has not yet indicated whether additional unredacted material will be released, leaving questions about how the names were categorized and why.
For now, the fight over how the Epstein files are presented appears far from over.
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