Blanche called the accusation that Trump could be seen in the photo and that it had therefore been deleted from the data set “laughable”. The files were suddenly deleted at the request of those affected. The removed photos showed potential victims who had not previously been identified as such, he told NBC News. The files were therefore deleted in light of ongoing investigations. Blanche announced that they would be open to the public again – he did not give a date.
In an interview with NBC News, he also said that no information about President Trump had been edited in the files – except when it had to be blacked out due to legal requirements. This is the case, for example, when information relates to personal details of abuse victims or is subject to attorney-client privilege.
The Justice Department also received criticism from the Capitol: a 119-page document containing witness statements was completely blacked out without any explanation. Only on Sunday did the ministry publish a version of the document with fewer redactions.
That’s not enough for two US Congress members – they want to use a parliamentary maneuver to force Justice Minister Bondi to publish the remaining Epstein files. He is working on a corresponding draft together with Democrat Ro Khanna, said Republican Congressman Thomas Massie on CBS News.
If the House of Representatives agrees, Bondi would have to pay a fine for every day on which the required documents are not released. Massie and Khanna accuse the department of ignoring rules and breaking the law. Despite their different party affiliations, the two have often pushed forward legislative initiatives.
