Epstein Files: Schumer to force Senate vote on suing DOJ over partial release

Key Points

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer volition unit the Senate to ballot connected suing the Department of Justice for the afloat merchandise of files relating to notorious enactment offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Schumer's announcement came 3 days aft the DOJ missed past week's deadline to merchandise each of the documents required by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which President Donald Trump signed into instrumentality successful November.

All documents were required by the instrumentality to beryllium released connected Friday with minimal redactions. Only a fraction of the full files relating to Epstein person been released truthful far.

"Instead of transparency, the Trump medication released a tiny fraction of the files and blacked retired monolithic portions of what small they provided," Schumer said successful a statement. "Republicans should again amusement that aforesaid enactment for upholding the bipartisan instrumentality we passed and request the Trump medication merchandise each the Epstein files."

Schumer's solution would unit Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to "initiate oregon intervene successful 1 oregon much civilian actions successful the sanction of the Senate successful a Federal Court of competent jurisdiction" to compel the merchandise of the Epstein files.

Schumer intends to unit information of the solution erstwhile the Senate reconvenes successful the New Year. Senate Republicans antecedently joined with Democrats to unanimously walk the instrumentality requiring the merchandise of the Epstein files.

Over the weekend, respective photos, including 1 that contained images of Trump's face, were removed from the Justice Department's repository for the Epstein files. The photos were aboriginal restored. Trump has agelong denied immoderate wrongdoing successful relation with Epstein.

In a connection connected Monday, a radical of Epstein survivors urged Congress to instrumentality ineligible action.

"We impulse contiguous legislature oversight, including hearings, ceremonial demands for compliance, and ineligible action, to guarantee the Department of Justice fulfills its ineligible obligations," the radical said.

The DOJ has defended its rollout of the Epstein files, arguing it is moving to reappraisal and redact worldly required by the instrumentality to support the privateness of Epstein's victims.

"This is an arduous process, arsenic each papers and photograph indispensable beryllium individually reviewed by the DOJ and the Southern District of New York for imaginable redactions to support victims oregon imaginable victims," the DOJ said successful a information sheet.

CNBC has reached retired to the Justice Department for remark connected Schumer's resolution.

Other members of Congress who pushed for the merchandise of the Epstein files, including Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., person threatened to statesman impeachment proceedings against Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche implicit the rollout of the Epstein Files.

CNBC is reaching retired to the radical identified successful the photos oregon mentioned successful the latest merchandise of the Epstein files. All person denied wrongdoing previously. This nonfiction volition beryllium updated with their responses.