Attorney General Pam Bondi made a big promise on Wednesday night that she would be disclosing some “pretty sick” information related to the Jeffrey Epstein case — a promise she only kept technically speaking.
On Thursday, the Department of Justice released about 200 pages of files related to the late, convicted sex trafficker. However, those partly redacted documents had already been previously leaked and AG Bondi believes the FBI is actually in possession of thousands more that she wants sent to her by Friday morning. What’s more, she is giving new bureau director Kash Patel two weeks to find out why they were withheld.
“Before you came into office, I requested the full and complete files related to Jeffrey Epstein. In response to this request, I received approximately 200 pages of documents, which consisted primarily of flight logs, Epstein’s list of contacts and a list of victims’ names and phone numbers. I repeatedly questioned whether this was the full set of documents responsive to my request and was repeatedly assured by the FBI that we had received the full set of documents,” Bondi wrote in her Thursday letter to Patel. “Late yesterday, I learned from a source that the FBI Field Office in New York was in possession of thousands of pages of documents related to the investigation and indictment of Epstein.”
“Despite my repeated requests, the FBI never disclosed the existence of these files. When you and I spoke yesterday, you were just as surprised as I was to learn this new information,” she continued. “By 8:00 a.m. tomorrow, Feb. 28, the FBI will deliver the full and complete Epstein files to my office — including all records, documents, audio and video recordings, and materials related to Jeffrey Epstein and his clients, regardless of how such information was obtained. There will be no withholdings or limitations to my or your access.”
“The Department of Justice will ensure that any public disclosure of these files will be done in a manner to protect the privacy of victims and in accordance with law, as I have done my entire career as a prosecutor,” Bondi’s letter concluded. “I am also directing you to conduct an immediate investigation into why my order to the FBI was not followed. You will deliver to me a comprehensive report of your findings and proposed personnel action within 14 days.”
Indeed, Thursday’s drop did not feature any new startling information. It contained roughly 200 pages consisting of handwritten flight logs, a short evidence list, a slightly redacted contact book and a fully redacted list of 254 potential victims identified as masseuses.
Notably enough, President Donald Trump’s name does pop up in the flight log multiple times. However, his apparent relationship with Epstein is not new information and they had even been pictured together in the past.
In response to the less than ideal rollout, Bondi said in a statement: “This Department of Justice is following through on President Trump’s commitment to transparency and lifting the veil on the disgusting actions of Jeffrey Epstein and his co-conspirators. The first phase of files released today sheds light on Epstein’s extensive network and begins to provide the public with long overdue accountability.”
Patel added: “The FBI is entering a new era — one that will be defined by integrity, accountability and the unwavering pursuit of justice. There will be no cover-ups, no missing documents and no stone left unturned — and anyone from the prior or current Bureau who undermines this will be swiftly pursued. If there are gaps, we will find them. If records have been hidden, we will uncover them. And we will bring everything we find to the DoJ to be fully assessed and transparently disseminated to the American people as it should be. The oath we take is to the Constitution, and under my leadership, that promise will be upheld without compromise.”
Epstein died in his jail cell, supposedly by suicide, in 2019. His co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell is currently doing 20 years in prison after similarly being convicted of sex trafficking in 2022.
