(AFP) – A US federal judge said he would hear a request to block access to investigative files linked to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on Wednesday, after lawyers flagged unredacted names of victims. The latest development surrounding the case, which continues to cast a long shadow over Washington, comes after Bill and Hillary Clinton agreed to testify in a US House investigation. The Justice Department released more than three million files last week related to the investigation into the disgraced financier, including his links to high-profile figures. The department was left scrambling after names of alleged victims, who were supposed to be anonymized, were left unredacted.
In a letter to judges seen by AFP, Brad Edwards and Brittany Henderson from the Florida legal firm Edwards Henderson cited an email published in the cache of documents “listing 32 minor child victims, with only one name redacted and 31 left visible.” Another woman said that her full address had been published in the files. The lawyers requested an “immediate takedown” of the government website showing the files. District Judge Richard M. Berman said in a short order seen by AFP that he would hold a hearing on Wednesday, adding: “I am not certain how helpful I can be.”
On Sunday, the Justice Department said it was “working around the clock” to make further redactions to the files after New York Times journalists had found dozens of naked photos that include people’s faces. Those photos have since been largely removed or redacted, the Times reported.
– ‘Setting a precedent’ –
The Epstein affair has entangled some of the most prominent names in US politics, highlighting the sharp partisan battles that have shaped the scandal. The House Rules Committee had advanced resolutions accusing the Clintons of defying subpoenas to appear in person to explain their links to Epstein, who died in custody in 2019. Heading off a potential vote to hold the couple in contempt, Clinton spokesman Angel Urena said on X that “the former President and former Secretary of State will be there. They look forward to setting a precedent that applies to everyone.”
The couple had originally refused to appear before lawmakers examining how authorities handled earlier investigations into the deceased financier, who had connections and correspondence with the world’s business and political elite. Democrats say the probe is being weaponized to attack political opponents of Trump — himself a longtime Epstein associate who has not been called to testify — rather than to conduct legitimate oversight. Trump spent months trying to block the disclosure of investigative files linked to Epstein, who moved in elite circles for years, cultivating ties with billionaires, politicians, academics, and celebrities.
Neither Trump nor the Clintons have been accused of criminal wrongdoing related to Epstein’s activities. In letters where they initially refused to appear in Washington, the Clintons had argued that the subpoenas were invalid because they lacked a clear legislative purpose. Republicans say the Democratic couple’s past links to the business tycoon, including Bill Clinton’s use of his private jet in the early 2000s, justify in-person questioning under oath. Instead, the couple submitted sworn written statements describing their knowledge of Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking. Bill Clinton acknowledged flying on Epstein’s plane for Clinton Foundation-related humanitarian work, but said he never visited his private island. Hillary Clinton said she had no meaningful interactions with Epstein, never flew on his plane, and never visited his island.
After the Clintons agreed to testify, the Rules Committee decided Monday evening to suspend its vote on the contempt proceedings.
© 2024 AFP
