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Massive Discovery Derails Disclosure Timeline

The U.S. Department of Justice has acknowledged the discovery of more than one million additional documents potentially linked to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, significantly slowing the release of records that Congress mandated be made public this month.

The newly identified material, uncovered by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the FBI, was disclosed in a public statement by the DOJ just days after the government missed a legally binding deadline to release the full Epstein file archive.

Officials now say the disclosure process will take several more weeks, pushing the timeline into the new year.

Deadline Missed Under Federal Law

The Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump in November, required the Justice Department to release all Epstein-related documents with only narrow, victim-protective redactions by December 19.

That deadline passed without full compliance.

Instead, the DOJ has released only two partial batches of documents, many of which lawmakers say contain material that was already publicly available or heavily redacted beyond what the law allows. The discovery of an additional one million files has further delayed compliance, raising questions about record management and disclosure practices inside the department.

DOJ Defends Delay, Cites Legal Obligations

In its statement, the Justice Department said teams of attorneys are reviewing the documents around the clock to apply legally required redactions, particularly to protect victims and survivors.

According to the DOJ, the scale of the material makes rapid disclosure impossible without risking violations of privacy laws and court protections. Officials emphasized that the documents will be released as soon as the review process is completed, but acknowledged that the volume has extended the timeline by several weeks.

Lawmakers Accuse DOJ of Obstruction

The announcement triggered immediate backlash from lawmakers across both parties, many of whom have already accused the department of mishandling the Epstein files.

Representative Robert Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, accused the administration of shielding Epstein’s associates and powerful individuals who may have been implicated in abuse. He called the withholding of over one million documents illegal and demanded testimony from Attorney General Pam Bondi.

A bipartisan group of twelve senators has also called for a formal audit of the DOJ’s handling of the files, arguing that the department violated the Transparency Act by delaying disclosure and overusing redactions.

Push for Inspector General Review

In a formal letter to DOJ Acting Inspector General Don Berthiaume, senators said an independent audit is necessary to determine whether the department is complying with the law. They argued that only the inspector general has full access to the complete document set and the authority to evaluate compliance objectively.

The request comes amid heightened sensitivity around internal oversight. While President Trump dismissed more than a dozen inspectors general at the start of his second term, the Justice Department’s watchdog role was preserved. Berthiaume assumed the position in October after longtime inspector general Michael Horowitz departed earlier this year.

Escalating Political Consequences

Frustration over the delayed release has prompted lawmakers to threaten aggressive measures. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accused the administration of orchestrating a cover-up and vowed to force a Senate vote on legal action to compel disclosure.

In the House, Representatives Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna warned they may move to hold senior DOJ officials in inherent contempt of Congress. Lawmakers argue that the law does not allow for rolling releases and that continued delays undermine the intent of the statute.

Trump’s Role Draws Renewed Scrutiny

The controversy has also revived scrutiny of President Trump’s past association with Epstein. While Trump has denied any wrongdoing, recently released documents include multiple references to him, including communications suggesting he traveled on Epstein’s private aircraft during the 1990s.

The DOJ has stated that some allegations involving Trump are unverified or false and were submitted to investigators shortly before the 2020 election. Trump has described the Epstein file controversy as a hoax and previously sought to block the legislation that ultimately forced disclosure, only endorsing it as passage became inevitable.

Survivors and Public Demand Answers

Advocacy groups and lawmakers stress that transparency is essential not only for public accountability but for survivors seeking justice. They argue that delayed disclosure prolongs harm and prevents a full reckoning of how Epstein was enabled for years.

Despite broad bipartisan support for the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the slow and fragmented release has deepened distrust in federal institutions and intensified demands for full, immediate compliance.

As the Justice Department works through what it now describes as a historic volume of material, pressure from Congress and the public is only increasing, with the question growing louder by the day: why were so many files still undisclosed, and what remains hidden within them.