Redactions Lifted from Epstein Documents

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced on Monday night that several redactions have been removed from records connected to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. This decision came after Representatives Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) raised concerns that the Justice Department was unjustly obscuring the names of potential co-conspirators.

After examining the newly unredacted documents, the lawmakers shared with reporters that they found the names of “six men” who might have been involved in the sex trafficking operation run by Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell were previously hidden in records released by the Justice Department last month.

Blanche defended the department’s actions, stating, “The document you reference names numerous victims. We’ve only removed names that are not victims from this document. The Department of Justice is dedicated to transparency.” He elaborated on this in a post on social media in response to Massey.

One document, which is now accessible, lists 20 names with 18 originally redacted. It now only has two names withheld. Meanwhile, in another document from August 2019, the FBI’s report detailing Epstein’s “family and associates” had billionaire Les Wexner’s name obscured.

Wexner is mentioned as a “co-conspirator” alongside Maxwell, modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, and Leslie Groff, who served as Epstein’s executive assistant. Blanche pointed out that Wexner’s name has appeared numerous times in the files, asserting that the Department of Justice isn’t concealing anything.

Massie also highlighted a name he referred to as “Sultan,” noting it appeared in an email from Epstein mentioning a “Torture Video,” claiming that this part should not have been redacted. In response, Blanche insisted that the law necessitates the removal of personally identifiable information, even within email addresses. He also mentioned that the name of the Sultan was indeed present unredacted, implying it referred to Emirati businessman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem.

Blanche concluded with some frustration, telling Massie to “stop grandstanding.”