Democrats ask DOJ watchdog to prevent “tampering” with Epstein files

Democratic lawmakers are pressing the Justice Department s internal watchdog to ensure that the Epstein-related records set for release this month are delivered to Congress and the society without tampering or concealment In a letter sent this week to Acting Inspector General Don Berthiaume Senators Adam Schiff D-Calif and Dick Durbin D-Ill inquired his office to conduct a rapid audit of the chain of custody forms associated with the materials the DOJ must release later this month This audit will help confirm for Congress and the society that the Epstein files that will be issued are identical to those collected by law enforcement other than any legally required redactions the Senators wrote The authors of the letter ask the inspector general to determine whether every piece of evidence covered by the act has a complete and accurate chain-of-custody record and to identify any gaps or irregularities including who has handled the materials and how various agencies and individuals have had access to them The lawmakers ask the inspector general to provide answers by January Related The fight for the Epstein files isn t over Last month President Donald Trump signed a law setting a deadline for December The president had been reluctant to release the circumstance files around Epstein calling them a hoax and a distraction Federal judges have spent the weeks since the act was signed into law clearing hurdles to disclosure Last week a judge in Florida granted the DOJ s request to unseal grand jury transcripts from an earlier abandoned review into Epstein Judges in New York authorized the release of grand jury materials from Epstein s federal prosecution and his confidant Ghislane Maxwell s prosecution in Start your day with essential news from Salon Sign up for our free morning newsletter Crash Subject Democrats say those rulings underscore the urgency of ensuring that what is published reflects the original evidence Their letter raises concerns about latest suggests that Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel who according to the lawmakers directed and oversaw an intensive effort beginning in March to review the massive trove of evidence in the ruling body s possession which resulted in around FBI personnel working -hour shifts and required personnel to identify any mentions of President Trump The lawmakers argue that this level of involvement heightens the need for independent verification that the files have not been altered Read more about this topic Jeffrey Epstein was an open secret for years That s not a good thing Why MAGA is so concerned with Epstein Judge orders release of grand jury files in Epstein s sex trafficking occurrence The post Democrats ask DOJ watchdog to prevent tampering with Epstein files appeared first on Salon com