The first tranche of files on Jeffrey Epstein‘s pedophilic sex trafficking ring are out – and Republicans are not happy.
Rather than publishing the documents directly to the American people, Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel released the so-called Epstein Files to a group of conservative influencers.
But those eager for evidence to connect Epstein to prominent political figures and business leaders were disappointed to find barely any new information, if any, was included in ‘phase one’ of the document release.
Bondi, however, claims the only materials she was given by the FBI included flight logs, Epstein’s client list and the victims names and numbers. Much of the information contained in the former two was previously released publicly.
The AG accused Patel’s agency of hiding thousands of documents related to the investigation and demanded they be turned over by 8:00 a.m. on Friday, February 28.
‘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,’ Bondi wrote in a letter to Patel, claiming she was only given 200 pages when she asked for all investigation files.
Pro-Trump lawmakers were also up in arms on Thursday over how the files were first disseminated.
Ahead of its publication, a binder was circling the West Wing with the title, ‘The Epstein Files: Phase 1,’ and known names in conservative media were the first to get their hands on copies.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), who is leading the House Oversight Committee’s Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets, was furious that her panel was not able to review the files before they were turned over to a handful of media personalities.
‘I nor the task force were given or reviewed the Epstein documents being released today,’ Luna wrote on X, lamenting: ‘A NY Post story just revealed that the documents will simply be Epstein’s phonebook.’
‘THIS IS NOT WHAT WE OR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ASKED FOR and a complete disappointment,’ she continued in expressing her disappointed in the contents.
‘GET US THE INFORMATION WE ASKED FOR!’ the congresswoman demanded.
Attorney General Pam Bondi made good on her promise and released the Jeffrey Epstein Files on Thursday, February 27 after the hit her desk earlier in the week
Bondi says there are 250 alleged victims in the files that the Department of Justice needed to ensure would be protected before releasing the documents. Pictured: Epstein in front of the so-called Lolita Express private jet that allegedly taxied him, his ‘clients’ and young girls to his private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands
The ‘phase 1’ name on the binder suggests the Justice Department will be publishing more documents related to the case in coming weeks, which many hope will satisfy their desire to out those involved in the conspiracy and its cover-up.
While Epstein was found dead in his prison cell in August 2019, public controversy has maintained over the secretive nature of the government findings regarding his illegal activity and his stunning client list.
Conspiracy theories swirled claiming the government was protecting other high profile Americans and politicians who were caught up with Epstein.
The first release comes as Republican lawmakers press the Justice Department to increase transparency and publish previously classified records and federal secrets including the Epstein Files.
The documents landed on Bondi’s desk earlier this week.
She told Fox News on Wednesday night that there are 250 alleged victims that the DOJ needed to ensure would be protected before releasing the files.
‘What you’re going to see, hopefully tomorrow, is a lot of flight logs, a lot of names, a lot of information,’ Bondi said when asked about what is contained in the files.
She added: ‘But, it’s pretty sick what that man did, along with his co-defendant.’
Additionally, many Americans expressed how upset they were that the files were not immediately published and instead a handful of conservative media voices were given an advanced copy of the documents.
Real America’s Voice host Jack Posobiec, political commentator Rogan O’Handley – also known as DC Draino, content creator Chaya Raichik and few other online conservative voices were handed the document at the White House on Thursday.
They were pictured emerging from the Oval Office with massive smiles and looks of accomplishment as they held up the binders for photographers and members of the White House press corps.
In a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel, Bondi alleged that his agency hid thousands of documents related to the Epstein investigation, claiming she was only given 200 pages when she asked for all materials
Conservative media personalities left the White House on Thursday smiling and looking triumphant as they held up binders of ‘The Epstein Files: Phase 1’ as the president’s press corps snapped their images
British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell (left) had a decades-long association with Epstein and is the only one who so far has been convicted in the case
Financier Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in his prison cell in August 2019. But the secretive nature of the government findings regarding his illegal activity and stunning client list exacerbate conspiracies that the government was protecting high profile Americans and politicians who were caught up with Epstein
Co-conspirators and anyone who participated in Epstein’s ring or flew on his so-called Lolita Express private jet to his island have remained protected through the sealing of investigative documents – until now.
The binders contain the names of people involved in a massive sex trafficking ring and the details of their illicit and ‘incredibly disturbing’ activity, as detailed by Counselor to the President Alina Habba.
She said on Thursday that there will ‘absolutely’ be new criminal charges brought against individuals revealed to be involved in the scandal or its cover-up.
President Trump signed an executive order last month calling on agencies to create plans to release and distribute top-secret documents including on Epstein as well as the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert F. Kennedy and civil rights maverick Martin Luther King Jr.
On Wednesday, Luna said she heard back from the DOJ on a slew of files.
‘My office just received a formal response from the DOJ on the Jeffrey Epstein, JFK, MLK, & RFK files,’ wrote the leader of the House Oversight Committee’s Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets.
Luna also sent letters to Bondi, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz and White House Counsel David Warrington giving a Thursday deadline requesting a briefing on plans for release of the documents.
Sentiment was widely shared online that Epstein’s death was made to look like a suicide, but was actually a murder meant to prevent him from revealing his client list or co-conspirators in the pedophilic sex trafficking conspiracy.
Epstein’s death was ruled by the medical examiner as a suicide by hanging.
But lawyers for Epstein have disputed the ruling as public skepticism over his death grew in recent years, resulting in numerous conspiracy theories.
Counselor to the President Alina Habba said there will ‘absolutely’ be new criminal charges brought against Jeffrey Epstein’s co-conspirators and those on his client list and who helped to cover-up his pedophilic sex trafficking ring
The private island in the Virgin Islands was called Little Saint James but became nicknamed Epstein Island. It is situated southeast of Saint Thomas and was owned by the infamous financier from 1998 until his death in 2019
The possibility of pursuing criminal charges died along with Epstein, so a judge dismissed the case on August 29, 2019 – less than three weeks after he was found hanging in his jail cell.
British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell had a decades-long association with Epstein and was convicted in 2021 on federal charges for sex trafficking after she recruited young girls for the pedophilic ring, as well as child sex abuse and prostitution
Her procurement for Epstein included bringing into the folds of the conspiracy a 14-year-old girl.
Epstein had a private jet that he logged 600 flying hours on each year, usually with guests on board as part of the manifest.
The Boeing 727 was nicknamed the Lolita Express by locals in the Virgin Islands because of its frequent arrivals allegedly with young girls on board.
Lolita has multiple meanings, including a term for a young girl.
Epstein’s private island called Little Saint James is in the United States Virgin Islands, southeast of Saint Thomas. He owned it from 1998 until his death in 2019.
