Two members of the House on Thursday asked a federal judge in New York to appoint a special master to oversee the Justice Department's handling of records tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, saying the department missed a legal deadline to release the files.
Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., made the request in a letter to U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer of the Southern District of New York, urging the court to install an independent monitor to supervise the review process and ensure compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
The law, signed in November, directs the attorney general to make publicly available in a searchable, downloadable format all unclassified Justice Department records relating to Epstein, subject to limits such as protection for victims and other sensitive information. The statute set a 30-day deadline for release, which put the due date at last Dec. 19.
The lawmakers said the department has fallen short of that requirement and asked Engelmayer to authorize a special master to evaluate whether the government is producing all records covered by the law, properly applying any redactions and meeting reporting requirements tied to materials it withholds.
The request adds pressure to a Justice Department facing intensifying scrutiny over its pace and process in releasing Epstein-related records. The DOJ has cited the scope of the material and the need to protect victims as it continues reviewing records.
Public reporting has described the universe of potentially responsive records as numbering in the millions, with only a portion processed to date.
Engelmayer has handled matters linked to Epstein-related litigation in the district, including proceedings involving records from the federal prosecution of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's longtime associate who was convicted in 2021 of sex trafficking-related charges and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
In December, Engelmayer issued an opinion and order addressing how material covered by the transparency law could be reviewed and released while guarding against disclosure of information that could identify victims.
Epstein, a wealthy financier with ties to prominent figures, died in a federal jail in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
His death, ruled a suicide, and the secrecy surrounding parts of the investigations into him have fueled years of demands for public disclosure of investigative records, while victim advocates and prosecutors have emphasized the need to protect survivors' privacy.
The Justice Department did not immediately respond publicly to the lawmakers' letter.
The Southern District of New York also did not immediately indicate whether the court would take action on the request.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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