NY federal officials submit 1 million more pages of Epstein files

Then-U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Geoffrey Berman announces charges against Jeffrey Epstein on July 8, 2019, in New York City.  (Photo by Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON — Federal prosecutors have sent a million more pages related to deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to the Department of Justice, which plans to release them in the coming weeks, officials said Wednesday. 

Justice Department staff wrote in a social media post the documents came from the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and that FBI agents plan to review the information before release “in compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, existing statutes, and judicial orders.”

“We have lawyers working around the clock to review and make the legally required redactions to protect victims, and we will release the documents as soon as possible,” the social media post stated. “Due to the mass volume of material, this process may take a few more weeks. The Department will continue to fully comply with federal law and President (Donald) Trump’s direction to release the files.”

A bipartisan group of U.S. House lawmakers used a discharge petition to force a floor vote in that chamber on legislation that required the Department of Justice to release all documents it had related to the Epstein investigation. The Senate approved the bill through the fast-track unanimous consent process. 

Trump signed the legislation and has repeatedly sought to distance himself from Epstein.

The Justice Department released the first batch of documents Friday and released 30,000 more pages Tuesday. 

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wrote in a social media post shortly after the DOJ announcement that he was disappointed in the process. 

“A Christmas Eve news dump of ‘a million more files’ only proves what we already know: Trump is engaged in a massive coverup,” Schumer wrote. “The question Americans deserve answered is simple: WHAT are they hiding—and WHY? Justice delayed is justice denied. Release the files. Follow the law.”