DOJ believes work largely over - but it’s unlikely Maga base
Gary O'Donoghue
Chief North America correspondent
Image source,Getty Images
After a month of silence on the Epstein files, the Department of Justice (DOJ) now believes it has fulfilled the requirements of the law passed by congress, albeit after the deadline.
Democrats however continue to argue that the DOJ has withheld too many documents – possibly around 2.5 million – without proper justification.
The files that have been released do contain references to many public figures on this side of the Atlantic who have previously been associated with Epstein, including the former Microsoft boss, Bill Gates, who has vigorously denied one allegation of a sexual nature.
Donald Trump’s name does again appear – in one document there are a number of allegations about him from an FBI tip line, which investigators at the time deemed not credible.
When asked about the claims, the White House directed reporters to the part of the DOJ announcement which described some documents as containing “untrue and sensationalist” allegations against the president.
But while the DOJ believes its work is largely over, it’s unlikely that many in the Maga base will be content; they have long thought there was a conspiracy to protect the rich and powerful who were connected to Epstein – and even Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche acknowledged this would not end things –
There’s a hunger for information, he said, that this review would not satisfy.