Legislators request status update from AG Pam Bondi regarding release of Epstein files

WASHINGTON A bipartisan group of five congressional members from both the House and Senate has formally requested Attorney General Pam Bondi provide a briefing and progress report on the mandated release of Jeffrey Epstein documents by the end of this week.

The request comes after Congress overwhelmingly passed legislation requiring the Justice Department to make the files public within 30 days following the Nov. 19 enactment of the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

In their letter to Bondi, dated Wednesday, the lawmakers emphasized the urgency due to the tight 30-day deadline. They requested clarity on any new evidence, procedural issues, or obstacles that could prevent the department from meeting the statutory timeline.

The letter was signed by Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Ben Ray Lujn (D-N.M.), along with the lead House sponsors, Representatives Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.). They stressed their shared commitment to supporting the Justice Departments implementation of the new law.

The lawmakers referenced a Justice Department probe into Epsteins ties to prominent figures, including former President Bill Clinton and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, launched following new information provided in response to a presidential request.

They asked for a briefing, classified or unclassified, to review the full scope of the information in Bondis possession, specifying a deadline of Friday, December 5, 2025. The letter also highlighted the importance of implementing the law with safeguards to protect survivors, including coordinating with victims and their attorneys to redact identifying information.

The legislation mandates public release of all unclassified materials held by the Justice Department and FBI related to Epstein, his associates, travel records, internal communications, and documents concerning his death. It explicitly prohibits withholding information for political sensitivity or to protect public figures from embarrassment, allowing only limited exceptions for victim privacy and active investigations. Any decision to withhold documents due to ongoing investigations must be narrowly focused and temporary.

Author: Maya Henderson